Hey There Sora
by Akaiba
Summary: PART 1! Sora isn't the keyblade master. Riku is. And there in love. What happens when Mickey comes to take Riku away to fight the war? Will Sora follow? Or simply read the letters... DOES NOT FOLLOW KH1 or KH2 EVENTS! YAOI!
1. Prologue

Sora looked down from the window of his room. The pastel blue curtains were loose and fluttering out of the window, desperately caught on the wind but unwillingly restrained by their hooks. His face was buried in his arms so that only his cerulean eyes peered out from beneath his heavy lashes; the only part of him visible underneath the wild and unruly chocolate coloured spikes that passed for hair.

He heaved a heavy breath as he watched the two below him on the beach sparring, their wooden sparring swords thudding off each other dully; the brunet could barely bring himself to watch but now that he had, he couldn't look away. The salty sea air that was once refreshing held nothing for the small teen. He longed to run down to the beach but could he honestly bare to confront him? Could he honestly say to himself he wouldn't cry? No… he would cry… he couldn't let go… but if the other could so easily… then so would he…

It seemed so unreal; the golden sun was approaching the horizon as it crept away and cast everything in a honey-colored light. Some things gleamed when the shouldn't have and it the world around him seemed so beautiful; his heart rejected all of it. If he was in such pain and turmoil, why did the world get to be free from it and shine like that?

The thuds had stopped and Sora's thought-lost eyes returned to their previous observation; the figures below had stopped sparring, they were shaking hands. The silver-haired one bowed to the older brunet who smiled slightly and bowed back. The brunette took the wooden sword from the silveret and left the beach, presumably to put away the weapons. Sora watched the other instead, the silveret was the one he'd been watching anyway but now he had no plausible excuse if anyone caught him watching. He hadn't been watching to pick up some new moves… he'd been watching just to see him again. One more time… before he left… those aqua colored eyes...

Sora jumped slightly as he realized the one whom he'd been observing was now staring straight up him, and gesturing for him to come down. The brunet's mouth fell open in horror and shock. He'd been avoiding the other for a week now; he'd skipped school, cancelled plans with his friends and barely left his room in an attempt to escape the inevitable.

And now… now what he had striven so hard to avoid was asking him to come down to the beach. Sora groaned softly. He couldn't viably get away from him now, should he ignore him now it would pretty obvious he was doing so… like it wasn't already…

Sora left the window and grabbed his jacket as he left his room, his feet racing down the stairs as his heart pounded. He didn't want to go, he felt sick to his stomach, but he was also excited, he knew he couldn't stop himself now. His mom called to him as he opened the front door but he didn't hear her, he was solely focused on one thing and one purpose now. He slammed the door and ran, pulling on his jacket as he went.

His blood pounded in his eyes, nothing was heard as he ran. Sora knew that he would most likely have a really stupid lecture about how he was being selfish by wanting to keep the other on the island with him, but he didn't care. Longing overcame his fearful heart and all he wanted… all he needed was on that beach.

It wasn't far to the beach, but it felt like miles. His heart had gone from his chest to his mouth and he was struggling to breathe. People were giving him strange looks as he passed, he didn't even notice as he shoved past them, not bothering to say sorry or even say anything as he sprinted. Sure, he'd been terrified of the confrontation, but now… now all he wanted more than anything was hopefully still waiting for him. His house may have had a good view of the beach, but he wasn't as close as he wished he was now.

Suddenly he saw it; the sign that read 'beach' in crooked, painted letters, the wooden raised area that ran around the outer edge of the white sand. Sora leapt from the edge of the wooden path like it was a sporting event; praying his feet would carry him far enough. He landed on the sand in a crouch, his eyes darting round wildly, in search of that glimmer of dazzling silver that always announced his presence.

Then there he was. Illuminated by the setting sun from the front so all Sora could see was a striking black silhouette against the horizon. The breath was ripped from his throat and he struggled to get to his feet again as he tried to approach. The silhouette turned to face Sora as he rose to stand; long silver hair was tugged and pulled by the ocean breeze, set alight by the sun and so terribly beautiful with the jade eyes that watched the brunet with a burning intensity from beneath the platinum bangs.

"R-Riku…" Sora gasped. His chest felt tight, it had only been one week he'd been away from him and yet it felt too long, like he needed to be near him otherwise he'd die.

Riku's eyes narrowed in pain at hearing the other say his name. It had been too long for him too. Hearing the other's soft and oh so familiar voice and speaking his name… it was too much, "S-Sora…"

From both standing still, frozen in a moment, they were racing across the sand, their feet pounding rapidly until Sora had launched himself into Riku's open arms and been swung around in the tight grip the silveret refused to lessen now that he had Sora in his grasp. The brunet grabbed fistfuls of the long flowing locks before him in each hand and breathed in the vanilla scent that was purely Riku.

Their breathing was heavy and only grasped at between muffled sobs as they both tried to lose themselves in the other, ignore everything else and simply fade away until they were alone and untouched by anything or anyone.

"W-why…? Why d-did you l-leave m-me?" Stammered Riku as he swallowed thickly, his vision blurring until all he could make out were those weeping blue eyes.

"I d-dinn't w-wanna…" Sobbed Sora into the elder's shoulder, "I w-was afraid! I dun w-want you t-to g-g-go!" Sora cried, the last part shouted but shouted into the leather covered shoulder of his lover, "I l-love you t-too m-much to s-say g-goodb-bye!" his hold tightened and his sobs increased as admitted the reasons behind his avoidance of his boyfriend.

Riku's eyes widened in realization and then he groaned in frustration, "Sora…" He said softly.

"Don't say it! Don't you dare!" Sora screamed, pulling away from Riku. He wrestled free from the silveret's hold and clamped his hands firmly over his ears in defiance, "I won't listen!"

Riku's brow furrowed in distress as he witnessed the pain he was causing his boyfriend and dearest love, "Sora, please…" He begged, the tears that streaked the smaller teen's cheeks were stabbing at his heart as he realized they were all his fault.

"I'm not going to listen!" Sora sobbed.

Riku gripped Sora's wrists and forcefully yet gently removed them from his ears as he pulled the younger closer to him, "I'm not going to say it, okay?" He sighed, "I won't say goodb-"

"Hey!" Sora cried over Riku's words, "You just said you wouldn't say it!" He huffed a deep breath and allowed Riku to hold him again as he calmed down, his hysterics subsiding to a sniff or hiccup every so often as Riku patiently waited.

The older teen slowly maneuvered them so that he was sat on the soft sand with his lover in his lap, their hands interlaced and facing the almost completely set sun. The breeze was turning cold but neither felt it; neither felt anything but the presence of the other. The tide had gone out and the sun twinkled longingly on the horizon as if bidding them a sad goodbye, one that Sora forbade Riku to ever give him.

"Sora… I leave tomorrow…" Riku said softly, burying his face in the nest of brown spikes that barely reached his chin even now Sora was on his lap.

"I know." Came the emotionless reply.

Riku bit his lip to suppress the part of him that was screaming in defiance inside him, contrary to what the small teen in his lap thought; he didn't want to go, "… Leon… Leon says I won't be back for a while…"

"…I know."

"…maybe not at all. H-He said that I might die." Riku confessed. He'd visited all his friends and family since he'd been discovered to be the new keyblade master, he'd assured them all he would be perfectly fine and he'd return safe. But he couldn't bring himself to lie to the one person who meant everything to him.

"… I know."

Riku broke, "What…?" he choked out, he was going to cry, but he honestly didn't care, "'You know'? Is that it? Is that all you're going to say?!" Riku asked in disbelief, his heart aching at the thought of his boyfriend honestly not caring whether he lived or died.

The brunet whirled round in his position in Riku's lap, his eyes ablaze and full of anger and hurt, "What do you want me to say, Riku?! " Tears were back, it was almost ridiculous, they were crying like little girls… although Sora didn't care, all he cared about was winning even though the winner had been decided and it wasn't him. Riku was leaving, regardless of what he said, "What do you want me to say?! Nothing I say is going to make anything better, it's not going to fix anything! All that will happen if I tell you how absolutely bloody terrified and helpless I feel is that I'll feel like a child and you'll feel all macho and then you'll leave!"

Riku blinked in shock at the angry words… and the sheer amount of angry words. In all his life he had never heard Sora so angry and so consistently angry, Sora honestly looked like he would kill to get what he wanted, "No… that's not what would happen. And I would not feel 'all macho'! I would be glad to know someone feels the same as I do!" Riku ran a hand through his hair and sighed, "I don't want to yell at you Sora, I don't want to leave tomorrow knowing that you hate me."

Sora watched as Riku fell back onto the sand with him still sat on his lap, he rolled off and lay beside the elder and added his sigh to Riku's, "I could never hate you, Ri. I could severely dislike you and lose my temper with you… but I could never hate you."

Riku turned his head and placed a soft kiss on Sora's cheek, "I'm glad." He turned back to stare at the now black sky as the stars began to emerge, "I don't think I could live if you hated me."

Sora blushed and wriggled closer to Riku who wrapped his arms around his little boyfriend, "Ri?"

"Yeah?"

"T-take me with you."

Riku jumped, "E-excuse me?!" He gulped then continued, "If I think it's to dangerous for me, what gives you the idea I'd take you with me?!"

Sora 'hmphed', "Well, if I'm there, I can keep you safe and then you'd have more incentive to keep yourself safe." Sora stuck his tongue out playfully at Riku, "Cos if you died I'd shave you're head as punishment."

Riku couldn't help but laugh at the alarming and disturbing threat, "You'd never dare, you love my lovely silver hair far too much for you to even chop one hair off! Anyway… I'd be far too worried you'd be killed so I'd probably end up getting distracted by you running off and get stabbed in the back!"

Sora growled, "Don't say that! I can take care of myself and besides… I could always pay Axel to chop your hair off. He's set it on fire before."

Riku shuddered, "Freaky pyromaniac."

"I'm sure he heard that, the second he wakes up, you better check your body parts aren't cooking." Sora giggled at the thought, "Or we'll get Demy to put them out…" He wistfully remembered the time Riku and Axel had thought they'd try and scare the sitar player. He'd surprised them all by shooting water at them from his hands and completely drenching them.

Later they had been informed that Demyx had just come into his powers, Children of Darkness were like that and occasionally Sora was jealous, occasionally he wasn't… like when Axel had accidentally set himself on fire and Demyx had had his own version of a wet dream.

"I love it here; I never ever want to leave…" Sora said contently, "But I would if you asked me too…"

"I never will." Riku promised, "You can spend your entire life here and I promise I won't ever get the urge to move." He nuzzled Sora's cheek affectionately, "I might want a change of scenery though and we'll have to take a holiday."

Sora grinned, "That's fine by me…" The brunet yawned, "All this drama has made me sleepy…"

They were suddenly so happy, so comfortable and the fears of tomorrow seemed so unreal and so far away, it didn't seem believable that Sora was going to wake up the following day and Riku was going to getting on a strange ship with people they hardly knew to go and fight someone else's war, although the odd four foot mouse that had arrived and confirmed Riku's power said it was everyone's war.

Riku sighed and breathed in Sora's comforting scent again, it seemed unthinkable he'd not be able to smell it again for a long, long time… maybe indefinitely...

"Sky…?"

No response.

"Sora?"

Riku pushed himself up by his hands and looked down at Sora. His boyfriend was curled up slightly, his mouth barely open and his eyes closed. The softest of snores and breaths passed the innocent teen's lips and Riku smiled dreamily at the person that was perfect for him. Like two pieces of a jigsaw…

Clambering to his feet he lifted the small body into his arms effortlessly and carried the feather-light load back to Sora's house.

The streets were already bustling, Sora didn't even know this many people lived on the island, they were as one body and refused to let Sora past, giving him glares as he tried and occasionally pushing him back away from them.

Didn't they understand that was his boyfriend they were all watching being fired into space with a whole load of suicidal warriors who demanded Riku came along?!

Sora jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder, he turned to see Axel, Roxas and Kairi smiling supportively at him, Axel's hand rested on his shoulder and didn't move as he spoke, "You want to see Riku, right?" Sora nodded and Axel's smile twisted into a devilish grin which was mirrored by Demyx and Kairi.

Sora's eyes widened fearfully as Kairi spoke, "We have a plan." She whispered evilly.

"Ready, Sora?" Kairi asked in his ear.

Sora swallowed fearfully, "Do I have a choice?"

"'Atta boy!" She grinned; she turned to Axel and gave him an energetic thumb's up.

Axel gave a whoop and startled the woman passing him on the street who then gave him a terrified once-over and ran. The red-head raised an eye as she passed but thought nothing of it; instead he turned to Demyx who stood a little way off, his mohawk bouncing wildly as he shifted from foot to foot, itching to get on with it.

"Ready, Dem?" The redhead asked with a smirk.

"Yes, yes, yes!" The dark blond cried impatiently.

"Come on then!"

Sora and Kairi linked arms and stood ready, a little way away from the now manically laughing duo whose arms were raised and poised to do damage.

"I don't suppose I can't back out now, can I?" Sora begged.

"And spoil the fun?" Kairi laughed, "Ready!"

Demyx shrieked happily as a fountain of water erupted from his fingertips, catching everyone in his chosen path in the back with icy water, Axel began firing small yet hot spurts of fire from his fingers at the ground making people leap back from them, warning everyone back away from them and they began to advance through the crowd, Kairi and Sora following hurriedly.

"Hahahaha! They're parting like cattle!" Axel roared evilly.

"Axel! That was someone's hat, not the floor!" Sora cried.

"And that was someone's precious poodle that's been washed into the gutter, Demyx… your aim is bad…" Kairi tutted.

Sora's eyes widened in horror, neither Child of Darkness was paying them the least bit of notice, too happy to hit as many people as possible, "Oh dear… Riku's going to kill me… this is not what he wanted to happen when he left… he specifically said no scenes…"

"He meant you by that, you can be very dramatic when you want to be- We're almost there!" Kairi cried above Sora's indignant 'hey', the screams and squeals of various people around them and, of course, the laughter coming from Axel and Demyx, "I can see that mouse! And I can see Riku's hair!!"

Sora jumped, mid-step, and caught a flash of Riku's infamous silver hair but nothing else, 'What's going on, Kai?! I can't see!"

Kairi rolled her eyes, "I'm not much taller than you, I can't see much either. We need to go faster, Axel! Demy! More speed please!"

As requested, the two older teens increased their speed, the screams increased and the amount of poodles washed into gutters and hats set alight doubled, Sora suddenly wished he'd kept his mouth shut.

Then he didn't. They were finally at the front. There was a large rope marking out the area where no one could cross, behind the rope was a small platform upon which stood the strange mouse, Riku's sparring partner over the past week, a few others Sora didn't recognize and Riku himself. Behind the platform was the violently painted ship that was going to carry them all away to join an army and fight a war. It all made Sora sick to the stomach.

The mouse was speaking, so Sora politely listened, "-so it is with great honor I present to you, people of Destiny Islands, Riku: Keyblade Master!" The mouse gestured to Riku who smiled sheepishly at the large crowd and made his way over to the mouse.

The crowd erupted into cheers and loud claps as their new hero whom most had barely even acknowledged existed until now stood before them in shining blue and silver armor minus a helmet, his hair tied back by a gray ribbon. Now they saw him and now they would proudly say, 'I remember him when he was just a boy…'

"Thank you, King Mickey-" so that was his name…King?! "- I am very honored to be here-" No one notices that Riku is being sarcastic. Only Sora notices because he knows him that well, "- I am very proud to be representing Destiny Islands in this war, I will do my best to help and I will come back." The defiant promise should have been heard by all, but no one heard Riku's words the only saw him giving Destiny Islands more notoriety.

Sora chewed on his lip slightly as the last sentence reached his ears, he looked around at the people cheering wildly and calling his boyfriend's name. It was scary; none of crowd of people were even listening to the words coming from their 'hero's' mouth, they only see a new sort of celebrity. And they are sending him to his death… Sora's eyes widened as the reality of it crashed down around him, harder than it had over the past few days.

"Sora..?" Axel asked worriedly as he spied his friends change in attitude.

"This is wrong…" The burnet declared softly.

"Sora-"

"This is wrong!" Sora cried louder.

The crowd around them just swallowed the extra noise and no one noticed his distress other then the three of his friends around him. Suddenly Sora felt two hands cover his eyes, he jumped and pulled at them with alarm. When the soft hands came away he was facing Roxas, Namine and Selphie smiling at him.

"Heya, sorry we're late; SOMEBODY forgot what today was…" Selphie glared at Roxas who 'eeped' and shifted behind Axel.

Namine ignored them and spoke to Sora, "How are you?"

Sora visibly crumbled; all he wanted, all he had so close to his heart was Riku. And now it was being taken from him. He squeezed his eyes shut and pushed his hands up to hide his face incase any tears escaped his hold, "I…I don't think I c-can… I w-want… I w-want… R-Riku…"

"'Ask and ye shall receive,'" Axel suddenly said somberly. Everyone turned to stare at him like he'd grown five heads, even people they didn't know. Axel looked back and raised an eyebrow questioningly, "What? You asked… or rather demanded, and there he is." The pyro-maniac pointed over Sora's shoulder, looking at something behind the sniffing brunet.

Sora turned almost fearfully, he came face to face…face to chest with a shiny breastplate that reflected his watery blue eyes. Riku had slipped under the rope that they had all managed to get up to and Sora looked up into aquamarine eyes and breathed sharply, "R-Riku…!"

Riku smiled softly, "Couldn't leave without my good luck charm, could I?" He smirked mischievously as he gripped the smaller teen's shoulders and kissed him passionately.

Their tongues clashed, both fighting for dominance as Sora wanted to show Riku that he wasn't as helpless as everyone seemed to think. Teeth were added in the heat of the moment, all eyes were on them but it honestly didn't bother either of them. Riku wanted the memory and Sora needed the comfort; neither was going to fuss over irritating details like political correctness, thankfully the silence that seemed to fall like lead was broken by Axel cheering loudly. At a loss for anything else to do the surrounding people joined in. All too soon the silveret pulled back, his face turned from Sora's so he couldn't see the hurt and confusion, the tears that suddenly charged back into place. The armored male moved swiftly past the platform whilst everyone looked on, cheers dying in eager throats, he reached the foot of the Gummi Ship's landing door.

Leon seemed to snap out of his trance first as he joined Riku, briefly patting Riku's shoulder. He saw straight through the transparent mask Riku had tried to wear, he was hurting just as much as his lover was. Leon entered the Gummi Ship, various other warriors followed; Riku never moved an inch as he found Sora's eyes; memorizing every detail about his lover.

King Mickey was the last to leave the platform and approach the Gummi Ship. He dared looking up into Riku's eyes and immediately regretted it. Even if they weren't on him, the turquoise depths held so much pain he didn't even want to comprehend why he was taking this boy from his lover to a place he would most likely die. But they needed his keyblade; so long as they succeeded, everyone on every other world would be safe… why did that seem like such an empty comfort?

The mouse patted Riku's limp hand and tugged him by his wrist onto the ship lightly, all strength suddenly gone from him by just looking at the suffering Riku was going through. Mickey didn't even risk looking to the other boy, if Riku was the strong one in the relationship… what the brunet was experiencing could only be found in forbidden horror stories that even the Devil had refused to give a home. Once they were safely on the ship, it began to start. The engines rumbled loudly, like a lion's roar and Sora realized this was it: this was goodbye.

His mouth fell open as the ship began to move forward, turning so it faced the beach and it trundled forwards slowly, gathering speed. The rockets on the back billowed flame and smoke, the crowd shielded themselves from the extreme winds it produced, Sora cried out Riku's name over the roaring noises, but it was hopeless.

Riku couldn't hear him. Riku couldn't even see him. The ship approached the shoreline when it suddenly lifted, the wheels retracting, barely skirting the surf as the ship took off. Sora ducked under the rope placed round the crowd and bolted for the beach. Kairi, Axel, Roxas, Demyx and Namine followed as Sora ignored the end of the sand and beginning of the sea as he splashed into the shallows, calling Riku's name desperately; still not comprehending that the ship had carried Riku far away and when he went home… he wouldn't see Riku in the kitchen, dancing to a random song whilst he made pancakes.

Sora trembled and fell to his knees in the water, soaking his clothes and clutching his head in his hands… this _had_ to be a nightmare…


	2. The First Letter

Sorry, I didn't do this last time. Hi! I'm Akaiba and this is my first story on This story is going to be off on a very angsty and sad trail with much sadness and a romantically sad ending. Please don't yell at me if you cry. Oh, and if you don't like Yaoi, then get off this page. I specifically said in the description it was Yaoi. If you're dumb enough to read anyway, then that's your problem not mine, I don't want to hear your whining. Anyway, Kingdom Eharts isn't mine, wish it was but it's not and this story is in no way related to the makers or creaters of Kingdom Hearts. Enjoy...

**Letter one**

Sora sat gazing out of the window. It had been something he'd grown into a habit of doing ever since Riku had left. It reminded him of the day before they'd been pulled apart, when they had resolved their problems… or at least agreed on them…

Riku had been so sad. Sora had originally thought his lover was thrilled to be going off and having an adventure, at least the silver-haired male had always proclaimed loudly and defiantly that he hated being trapped in the island where everything was all the same and there was nothing to do. When they were younger Kairi and Sora had finally given in to Riku's nagging and built a raft to go to other places... but something had gone wrong. He couldn't remember much becasue when they'd rushed to find their raft, Kairi had been knocked against a wall and balckewd out, Sora... just didn't remember for some reason but a few months after the black storm had come and gone at…

"_Sora!"_

_The dozing brunet blinked sleepily and looked round half-heartedly… he was sleepy… couldn't people see that? Silly people demanding all of his attention..._

"_Sora! Wake up you lazy arse!" _

_Sora growled and got to his feet, swaying as he stood beneath the boughs of a particularly shady tree he was not about to give up even if he was now ready to defend his honor. _

"_Oh, you are alive… I thought you might have been dead…" Sora whirled round and faced Riku head on, an attempted scowl on his face that morphed into an adorable pout, "And here I was getting ready to poke you with a stick…"_

_Sora folded his arms and glared at his boyfriend, "And here _I _thought you were a gentleman with the widest streak of chivalry I've ever seen… we must both be mistaken."_

_Riku sniggered and bent down, hooked a finger under Sora's chin and kissed the pout on his boyfriend's face away. He broke the chaste kiss but kept his face tantalizingly close to Sora's, "Have I been forgiven?"_

_Sora's now peaceful face regarded him skeptically, "That all depends on how you make it up to me."_

"_I kissed you, didn't I?"_

"_Hmm, yes you did. But that's not going to get you off the hook." Sora smirked and turned around to sit back at the base of the tree when Riku's arms were suddenly wound around his shoulders._

"_Mmm… but you love it when I am naughty, that's what makes your dreams so good…" Riku whispered huskily into his ear, the elder's tongue flicking out to like the shell of his ear. Sora shuddered and Riku lent on him heavier, about to push him down._

"_Riku! We're in school!" Sora hissed, resisting the devilish temptation to just fall onto the soft grass with Riku._

"_So? Half the school knows about us anyway, and the other half know but are still getting over the news Mr. Xemnas and Mr.Saix are a couple." He grinned against Sora's neck, "Hate to break it to you, but against them, our news kind of pales in comparison…"_

_Sora was about to reply when Axel came into view, kicking a blue ball and dodging past Demyx and Roxas who attempted to tackle him, "Sora's in my team!" Screamed the redhead at the oblivious brunet and even more confused silveret as Axel continued to sprint, keeping the ball between his feet with ease, "Pass back to me!" Axel seemed really intense, his actions all powerful and everything done with precision... but there was something wrong..._

_Time seemed to slow, In the brief instance before Axel rocketed the ball through the air, Roxas, Sora and Riku both spotted the familiar change in Axel's face, his fingertips alight with flames and his eyes completely wide with his pupils the size of pinpricks. Roxas froze in horror as the ball was launched off the redheads' foot and towards Sora._

"_No! Axel, no!" Roxas screamed._

_As soon as the ball had touched Axel's foot it had burst into crackling flames._

"_Axel put it out!" The dark blond screamed at the redhead, but Axel was still reeling from using the darkness, he wasn't hearing anything._

_Turning as if the air was suddenly heavy water, Roxas watched in horror as the ball sped to Sora's frozen form. With Riku still wrapped around his shoulders it was impossible for Sora to move in time even if he had been capable of it. He'd only realized Axel was accidentally slipping into his dark powers; he hadn't seen the fireball that had previously been a football which was hurtling straight for him._

_But Riku had._

_The last second before the ball would have collided with Sora, Riku pushed him out of the way, but in turn put himself in the way._

"_Riku!" Sora screamed as he hit the floor and saw the ball going to Riku now._

_Then Riku was engulfed in a blinding flash of white light which made everyone watching turn away and shield their eyes. Looking back fearfully, Sora's mouth dropped open._

_Riku stood completely unharmed, his hands clamped firmly around the handle of an enormous…key? It was long and formed an odd crown shape where the head of key would be, there was an odd keychain hanging off the bottom of the handle and the key itself was so huge Sora didn't dare to imagine just what it opened… or shut away…_

"_R-Riku…?" Sora asked, wondering just exactly what had happened and whether his lover was okay or not._

_Riku didn't hear him, his wide-eyes staring at the odd blade he held in shock and fear._

Sora sighed; at the time Riku hadn't any idea exactly how much he should have been afraid of that thing. Axel had almost died of shock and guilt when he came to and realized what he'd done even though no one had been hurt. At first, everyone thought Riku might have turned out to be a Child of Darkness too, even though he had had parents… before they died.

When Sora was small, his father had left his mother and they had been like that for a long time, just Sora and his mother. Then when his mother found out about Riku, she had insisted that Riku came to live with them, even though Riku would have to share Sora's room and she'd be on the fold out bed. His mother was generous like that, but she never considered herself special. Sora did. He depended on her for everything, until he and Riku started dating she was the only one Sora had eyes for. Then she'd been killed in a car crash.

From that moment on Riku and Sora had been joined at the hip, they'd been living together for about five years by that point. Then one day… Riku never came home. When Sora asked him about it he just said he couldn't go back to where there were so many memories of someone who had been his mother for so long. Sora had nodded his head and let it drop; in truth it was hard for him too, but he had nowhere else to go. Neither had Riku who he'd found sleeping on the beach when he'd gone for a walk at two in the morning because he couldn't sleep. They'd agreed to both go back and live in the house together, it wasn't obvious then to either of them but being without the other for so long had definitely made them worse for wear.

Riku hadn't laughed in a long time and it had been days since Sora had smiled. But then everything was okay, they were together again and each had someone who actually cared whether they ate regularly, got home on time or slept normal hours. And from there… they had ended up getting together.

Sora closed his eyes, blocking out the painful memory and shutting his mind to everything, its seemed like everything was conspiring againse him to take away his happiness. The only other time he'd been without Riku had been for about a week and a half when Riku had left the house they shared and it had been disastrous to both of them. It was now close to three weeks and Sora had stopped going to school. He'd stopped sleeping; he'd even stopped eating the past few days. He'd locked every window and door so no one could get in and ignored them when they banged on the house's front door. It wasn't like anything they could say or do to him would get him feeling better again. The only person that could do that was million's of miles away probably fighting for his life.

Sora hadn't moved for the past seven hours, not even to go to the toilet. He hadn't eaten or drunk anything for a long time so it wasn't like he had to go to the toilet either. His eyes opened half-way and revealed the extent of the damage done to him; black bags rimmed his eyes until they were more like circles not 'rims', his usually bright and deep blue irises were dull and almost gray-blue in color as he looked out to the sea. His skin was pale and clammy, Sora was almost certain he was very sick, but he didn't care.

Something glinted along the shore line, being pushed to and fro by the pulling and pushing tide, it glimmered in the receding sunlight, almost another day over with, Sora mused, not fully focusing on what had captured his attention. Then it shone brightly at him and he looked down at it. He almost had an expression of surprise hit his face, but the feeling wasn't strong enough. His face remained emotionless, just like it had since Riku had left.

What lay on the beach was a bottle; a glass bottle being thrown about by the waters but persistently stayed just on the sand. Peaking Sora's curiosity in his state was actually quite hard but it had managed to do so. He got the insane urge to go down and retrieve the bottle as he watched it move. Not even having the energy to question himself, he robotically through the windows open wide and swung himself over the ledge and then let go. He landed in a crouch and stood up effortlessly, making his way to the end of the garden surprisingly quickly for someone sitting prostrate for over seven hours.

He reached the thick hedge at the end of the garden and grabbed it like a wall, his hands clenching fistfuls of leaf and branch. Sharp thorny offshoots dug into his palms and made him bleed but he was so numb he felt nothing. He shoved his feet into the hedge, haphazardly finding a foothold and heaving himself up the giant plant. It bent and swayed, trying to refuse his alarmingly light yet unwanted weight as he relentlessly crested the top, the exposed skin from his vest, shorts and bare feet a myriad of cuts.

Deciding not to bother climbing down, Sora leapt from the top of the hedge to land on the wooden promenade that led down to the beach. This time he bypassed the normal beach entrance by making his own way from his back garden, though he paid the price even if he couldn't feel his bleeding skin.

He moved swiftly, almost gliding over the planks and sand as he kept his eyes straight ahead on the prize that still glinted at him teasingly. His bare feet pressed into the cooling sand and kicked it up around him as he sprinted, gaining speed as he strove to reach the bottle, just incase the tide decided to take it back without warning. Everyone seemed to be working against him to make his life miserable by taking first his mother and then Riku, why wouldn't nature be against him too?

Skidding to his knees and sliding through the foamy water he clamped his hands around the bottle's neck and clutched it close to his chest, his breathing heavy and suddenly the horizon seemed to swim, everything moving and coming in threes, even the birds flying in the distance that went from two to six. Something wasn't right…

Sora heaved as he began to feel seasick, then it clicked. He'd been sat completely still, as if dead, for hours and then suddenly burst into action… his muscles and body were having a fit and he was suffering his lack of thought by threatening to heave whatever could possibly still be in his stomach onto the beach. He took deep breaths and eventually regained his composure enough so that the scenery didn't spin and the various things he focused on were in twos… eventually only one if he stared hard enough.

Tiring of the whole deal he lifted the bottle so he could see it. At first he thought, I've gone through this for a God damned _bottle_! Then he saw what was inside. It was a small rolled up piece of paper pushed inside with a tight cork in the top to stop any water leaking into it. Curiosity once again overriding any other things he might have felt; he pulled the cork out and put it in his pocket, more interested in the letter. After several failed attempts at removing the letter from the bottle which it seemed more than happy to stay inside the glass and his imagination was intent on creating a voice for the piece of paper which was taunting him mercilessly; he crawled back to the promenade and smashed it open on the wooden planks.

Scrambling through the shards of broken glass that scratched and embedded itself in his hands he took hold of the letter shakily. Opening the crackling paper he almost fainted: the handwriting inside was Riku's. He swallowed hard and read avidly:

_Dear Sora (This is not meant for anyone else but Sora so fuck off if you aren't him)_

_Okay, this is pretty stupid 'cos I am going to end up throwing this into the sea near the battlefield, but I just have to hope or at least empty my mind somehow. I want to talk to Sora, hang on… I'm writing to Sora so I'll talk to you then. I'm sorry... I'm being odd... but it's just so... so ugh... _

_I hope you aren't feeling as crap as I am. It feels like that time we were apart before, remember? I didn't think it would happen again, but I'm starting to think that if I don't concentrate I am going to get myself killed. I can't stop thinking about you; all I want to do is go home. There's a pain in my chest that won't go away and it's getting worse. Mickey's wizard friend gave me a medical check-up but I refused to let him wave his little stick (WAND!!!!) over me, according to him, anyway, I'm perfectly fine._

_Bullshit. Merlin, that's the wizard, doesn't believe me when I say that I miss you. He says that's not enough to make me sick unless I'm faking. I think the King believes me… but he won't meet my eye when I ask when I can go home. I know I'm seventeen but I am tired of this, war isn't fun… not like I thought it was but its worse then you could possibly imagine. When we joined the main army, I thought we were going to win easily; there were so many people fighting, men and women all with incredible strengths and powers… more than half of them are dead now. The things we're fighting… I've never seen anything like it before. They move and look like shadows but they have glowing yellow eyes and vary in sizes, there are so many too… its like a plague._

_Mickey says that I'll somehow be able to get rid of them all with the Keyblade. Like that's possible, it's just one of me against thousands of them. I can't possibly win. Plus the fact that I have a sneaking suspicion that I'm not meant to anyway, or no one expects me to anyway._

_I am seriously out of hope, sky. I don't think I can possibly focus long enough to get through this. I'm not saying these things to scare you, believe me I'm not. I just… I need someone to confide in. You know I hate it when people think I am incapable or weak… but I'm not a superhero... I'm human and I can die… and I don't want to. I want to be able to come home to you and hold you again._

_I've been thinking about home a lot. As much as I complain about it, I'd give anything to be on that beach with you and all our friends right now. But the beach I remember in my memories isn't the one I see when I imagine what it could be like if I get home. The sand is black and its always night, the moon is large in the sky and the waters are as black as the sand. Where there would either be the cliff sides of the Island or the jetty there's jagged rock formations that claw at the sky and twist like dead trees._

_Please talk to me, sky. Please get this letter. Please reply. Please be safe. Please don't ever think I don't love you. I will love you after I die and on until the end of existence. I promise._

_Riku_

_xxxx_

Sora had been crying, he hadn't even noticed. His heart had ached harder with every word that burrowed into both his memory and his heart until he was shaking uncontrollably and clutching the crumpled paper to his chest, trying to bury it within himself.

If he had thought that things couldn't have gotten worse: they had. Even Riku had lost hope. Sora didn't think he could take much more either. He desperately needed Riku, he needed Riku now. How did the letter even find him? Riku was on another world, right? Sora decided not to question it and prayed it would work for him. He was most certainly going to reply… the second everything stopped turning black.

He hit the wooden promenade with a thud, exhaustion, malnutrition and excessive stress finally taking their toll.

* * *

Roxas pushed Axel's lips from his neck and looked around wildly, "Axel!" He said sharply when the redhead didn't obey his hands and continued his ministrations, "Can you not feel that?" 

Axel blinked and looked up at the blond he was holding against a wall. He briefly probed the area and felt what Roxas was talking about, "Yes, I can. The Light is in trouble, again." Axel frowned, "I thought he hadn't left his house?"

Roxas reached out with his mind as well, he felt his consciousness being pulled in the direction of the beach, "Apparently he has. He's on the beach."

Roxas quickly smoothed out his hair and shirt and straightened Axel's t-shirt, then the two made a hasty sprint to the beach. Somehow, their group of friends had managed to keep Roxas' awakening of power to themselves. After seeing the treatment Axel and Demyx received when the Island found out, the fear people directed their way and the way some people would avoid them or Axel was blamed for a small fire or Demyx got blamed for a flood. It was all ridiculous and although both vehemently denied the accusations and they were dropped, no one who didn't know them truly believed them. So they had decided to keep Roxas' powers a secret even if it meant forfeiting the lessons the Axel, Demyx and the other Children of Darkness underwent to control their powers; courtesy of Mr.Xemnas who claimed he was one too; he refused to display his powers though.

The two secret lovers raced down the streets, it was dark now so no one was really out. The occasional person was passed by a blond and red blur but shrugged it off as a trick of the light or something. Roxas gritted his teeth, the closer the came to Sora, the more intense the pain he felt through his link to Sora. That was his power. He had a strong link to Sora and could feel when the other teen was in danger or in trouble, Axel had originally been jealous and thought it meant Roxas was meant for Sora or something but Roxas had quickly put his mind at ease.

Roxas' powers had no specific root, they weren't elemental or only encompassing one aspect of something like Chaos powers or Time powers or anything. He was an extremely fast fighter, he could move like the wind when he slipped into darkness and could do some rather odd moves with a sword in hand and he could feel Sora's mood. Because of his close contact to Roxas, Axel was beginning to catch the power too, that's how he shared the feeling of Sora's pain; but Roxas felt it stronger.

As they reached the beach, Roxas ran straight to where he felt his mind pulling him, Axel was forced to slow so he could follow rather than go off on his own and get it wrong. It felt like Sora was dying the pain was so intense, there was no time to be wrong.

Roxas spotted Sora… slumped to the floor with glass around him and thousands of cuts all over him that were seeping blood.

"Sora!' Roxas cried, skidding to his knees and tearing his jeans but he didn't mind; Sora came first, "Sora! Please don't be dead! God, please don't let him be dead." Roxas lifted Sora's worryingly light form over the glass he lay in and lay his head in his lap, stroking the soft brown hair, "Please… please don't be dead…"

Axel's mouth hung open in horror as he stared at the limp body his lover cradled sadly, then he suddenly realized something. It was the scariest and sickest thought he had ever had but under the circumstances... it seemed probable. Carefully he approached Roxas and gripped the hand that wasn't holding Sora, "Rox… what if… what if Sora wants to die?" He asked slowly.

Roxas' head shot up, tears streaking his face as he glared at his boyfriend as he wrenched his hand away from Axel, "How can you say that?! This is Sora we're talking about! He has always loved life! He would never want to die!"

"How do you know that? He hasn't smiled in weeks, its almost been six days since we even saw him and judging from how I can see his ribs _through_ his vest and you were able to lift him so effortlessly, I don't think he's been eating." Axel shook his head sadly, forcefully taking Sora from Roxas who tried to cling to the half-dead body, "Do you want him to die?" Roxas let go.

Axel lifted Sora bridal style and began to walk back from the beach, careful not to jostle the body too much incase of increasing the brunet's injuries. The redhead looked over his shoulder to see Roxas wasn't following, in fact, he hadn't moved.

"Are you coming?" Axel asked.

Roxas twisted his hands worriedly, "W… What if you're right? What if Sora w-wants t-to d-d-die?" The words were choked out as they seemed to want to stick in his throat. It was so wrong to say such things about someone whom if asked would say he got up at six in the morning to greet the sunrise, thats how much life Sora had.

Axel sighed, "Sora may want to die, but we're here to stop him, right?"

Roxas' frown didn't go away, "But… what if… what if he never gets better? What if he's like this forever? He's like my twin brother… I don't think I could bare it if I lost him… but then I couldn't bear being so selfish as to force him to suffer."

"Roxy…" Axel walked back to Roxas and offered a hand to the blond, holding Sora in one hand easily: that worried him, but one problem at a time, "Roxas… the only thing that will get Sora better again is Riku. They are… or were, practically joined at the hip… always have been… they can't be without each other for very long without it damaging them, their hearts literally can't take it." Axel took a deep breath and pulled Roxas to his feet, "We just have to ensure that Sora stays alive so that we don't end up with two dead friends, of Sora dies I would bet you 5000 munny that Riku would follow in the space of three days."

Roxas nodded slowly and followed Axel as they began to take Sora back to his house, "You… you really believe that they love each other that much?"

Axel nodded, "You don't even have to believe it. Can't you tell just by looking at them? Sora's eyes say it all." He laughed but there was nu humor in it, "Sora's eyes always say it all… I can't believe that damn mouse never had the balls to look in Sora's eyes to see exactly what he was doing…"

"Careful... that's a king you're bad-mouthing…" Roxas chided softly.

"I don't care if it's a fucking God!" Axel growled protectively, "No one fucks around with what is mine! You are all **MINE**, Riku, Demyx, Sora, Namine and Kairi are all **MY** friends and you are **MY** boyfriend. If it were you in Riku's place I would have chained you down and refused to let you go."

Roxas blushed at the description of what could be taken in such a wrong yet oh so right way…

Axel was off in a world of his own with his angry ranting and remained oblivious to his lover's thoughts.

Throughout all of their conversation, Sora didn't move a muscle, his eyes firmly closed and mouth clamped shut, his body attempting to curl in on itself even with it being held firmly by Axel. Sora didn't want to wake up, ever… but there was no way in hell Axel or Roxas was ever going to let him go…


	3. Golden Sunrise

Heya, me again. For those of you getting irritated by Sora's out of character and whiny, bratty behavior and regarless of Riku's absence he shouldn't be like that... well its for effect, all will become clear as the story progresses. Anyway, just wanted to say that, on with the story!

**Golden Sunrise and a Gentle Reply**

Sora's eyes flickered open, the sunlight streaming through foreign curtains onto his face as he slowly woke up. The curtains were a cream color instead of the pastel blue ones of his bedroom; in fact not one room in his house had cream curtains. He preferred bright colors and Riku had been more than happy to agree.

Riku…

Sora's eyes widened to sizes that shouldn't have been possible as he bolted upright in the bed he lay in, the covers rustling and being thrown aside as his legs flailed to be free.

"Whoa! Hey! Don't do that!" A startled voice yelled, accompanied by the thud of someone falling off of something, "You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

Sora knew that voice, his head turned to look in the direction of where it came and saw Roxas on the floor in heap, his legs on the chair he had presumably being sat on only moments ago. The dark blond was holding a wet cloth in one hand and he looked as though he hadn't slept in a few days. The brunet knew that look well; he had recently become accustomed to greeting it in the bathroom mirror when he'd been able to get to the bathroom.

"Roxas…" His voice was dry and cracked terribly, he hadn't used it in a while and it showed, "W… where am I? This… this is your room… isn't it?"

Roxas clambered to his feet and dusted himself off, discarding the wet cloth in a bowl on the nightstand; he nodded to Sora and sat back down on the chair, "Yeah… Axel and I found you collapsed on the beach two days ago."

"T-two days?!" Sora choked, his eyes widening again.

Roxas nodded again to his startled friend, "You've been asleep for a very long time. Axel originally carried you back to your house but we found that you had absolutely nothing in to eat and your medical supplies consisted of aspirin and an emergency condom." Sora blushed and Roxas shook his head exasperatedly, "Do you know how much we've been worried about you?!" He cried. Sora leant back in the bed to get away from the shouting blond, "Axel was absolutely terrified to get a doctor in here incase they thought something godforsaken and earth-shatteringly terrible had happened or we'd been abusing you or something! The entire Island knows you, Sora, and this behavior is so unlike you people would believe we had! I've been keeping you alive, Sora! I've been giving you everything I could just to keep you alive!"

Suddenly the blond swayed on his feet, a hand shakily touching his forehead as he staggered backwards, knocking the chair over and slumping against the dresser behind him. Sora's mouth parted as words readied to be yelled, his muscles tensing; ready to run across the room and catch Roxas incase he fell.

"I… I g-gave you e-everything I-I c-could…" Roxas stammered; his face flushing and eyes narrowing.

Sora saw his friend begin to slide down the dresser, "Roxas!" He yelled, his hand shooting out as he tried to leave the bed, but despite his orders his body couldn't bring itself to move so suddenly when it had been bedridden for two days.

There was a sudden red blur from the door and Axel was on the scene, Roxas held firmly in his arms, supporting him gently and guiding him over to the bed. He lifted the unconscious teen into the bed beside Sora and removed Roxas' shoes before tucking the covers around his boyfriend's form. Sora's brow creased with guilt and worry as he watched Roxas face, gingerly he pushed his legs off the bed and made to stand when the room seemed to shift, the floor bending unnaturally beneath his toes until he was swaying just like Roxas had a moment ago.

A hand caught his upper arm and steadied him, carefully helping to move forwards, Axel offered him a reassuring smile and the quietly left the room so as not to disturb the blond. They made their way downstairs with Sora leaning heavily against Axel until they made it to the kitchen where Sora gratefully sat in a chair as Axel began to busy himself with cooking.

"Axel..?" Sora asked tentatively, Axel grunted, "…What's wrong with Roxas? Why did he just collapse like that?" He feared the answer yet desperately needed to know.

Axel's movements stopped what they were doing and something in the frying pan began to sizzle and spit, "Roxas has…" The redhead really didn't want to make Sora feel guilty, God knows the burnet didn't need it but he had asked, and he wasn't going to lie to The Light, "Roxas has that special power, right?" Sora nodded slowly, "Well, he somehow managed to give you his energy and possibly life through it. I don't know the extent of what he's done because he wouldn't tell me." Axel began to cook again, the smell of sausages wafted over to Sora.

When once that aroma would have made him weak at the knees with want, it barely even affected it. If anything, it made his stomach turn in disgust, "Roxas… Roxas has been giving me his life?"

Axel turned away from the pan to look at Sora evenly, "Look at your body, Sora." Sora looked, he was covered in lots of cuts, clean cuts that hadn't even properly scabbed but weren't bleeding and plasters were dotted here and there to cover presumably larger cuts. Then he saw through the vest top he still wore, his ribs were frighteningly prominent.

There was a loud bang as Axel's hand slammed down on the table in front of him, he jumped and leant away from the suddenly angry, green-eyed seventeen year old. The triangular tattoos under his eyes on his cheeks suddenly not looking as cool as Sora had always thought…

"A-Axe-"

"Just when was the last friggin' time you ate?!" Axel demanded, his face close to Sora's and frowned in fury, "You are making all of us worry like hell! Kari's paranoid you've died, I've had to stop Demyx four times from taking an axe to your front door, Namine hasn't said a word about anything for ages, she's like a ghost they way she just walks by as if not even there and Roxas… Roxas has steadily been getting worse." The older teen sighed a drew back from Sora's personal space bubble, letting the little brunet breathe easy before continuing with more control, "I can understand you are distraught and really worried about Riku and everything; believe me we all are and I know you are feeling it more than anyone on account of how you and him are in love… but, Sor… you have to stay strong for him."

Sora's eyes were on his hands as he listened, tears trickling softly down his cheeks as he tried to speak, "I… I… I n-never w-wanted… I j-just…" He put his face in his hands as Axel's face softened and he went over to Sora, putting his arms around the sobbing brunet, "I c-can't be st-strong!"

Axel 'shushed' him gently and patted his hair, with being so close to Sora and thanks to Roxas 'power sharing' Axel could feel the emotions Sora was weighed under by, "It'll be okay… ssh… everything is going to be alright, I promise." Sora gripped Axel's shoulders tightly and sobbed noisily, the dam being broken to the pit of his sorrow and Axel just happened to be the one who had offered the shoulder to cry on, "Riku will come home or I will make one mouse wish he had never been born…"

Sora suddenly pulled back, his eyes wet and red but staring wildly, "Where's the letter?!"

Axel raised an eyebrow, "Letter…?"

Sora rose from his seat and passed Axel in a shaky frenzy as he looked round the kitchen, then on into the living room. His hands were trembling and clutching at everything like it contained nectar of the Gods or something, Axel followed utterly confused.

"Sora? What letter?" The redhead asked softly.

The brunet whirled around, "The letter I specifically went down to the beach to find! The letter Riku wrote to me! I have to have it, I need it!" Sora went to the door, looking down by the coat rack for something, Axel was sure isn't what the letter now.

"What are you looking for now?"

"My shoes." Sora said simply.

Axel's eyes widened in shock, "You can not be serious! You have been destroying yourself for nearly two weeks, slowly clawed back to life by Roxas and then you want to go off somewhere without even eating anything?" Axel smacked his forehead, "You are a piece of work you are, the Sora I remember wouldn't even consider leaving his room for less than a bacon sandwich."

Sora slipped on his shoes and reached for the handle, "I need the letter, Axel." He said defiantly.

Axel sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "At least wait one minute."

Sora blinked and Axel was gone. He heard frantic rummaging in the kitchen and less than thirty seconds later Axel was stood over him again but this time he had a sausage sandwich in his hand wrapped in foil but Sora could smell it. He handed it to Sora wordlessly and pulled his own jacket off the rack to hand to the brunet.

"It's four in the morning; it's cold out there." He said with a worried yet caring smile as he watched Sora.

The smaller teen seemed almost about to smile, but instead he just nodded his head and took the offered items before going to the door. In a brief decision he paused and turned back around to face Axel, he leapt the foot distance between them and hugged the startled boy tightly around his waist because he wasn't tall enough to reach Axel's neck without some difficulty.

"T-thanks… for everything." Sora said softly, into Axel's chest, "I know I'm not acting as though I am grateful… but I am. To both you and Roxas…"

Axel's surprise vanished and he smiled gently as he hugged Sora back, "Don't look at me, I just make the food and live here… its all Roxas." He gave a half grin and ruffled Sora's hair affectionately.

Sora pulled back and didn't even bother to sort out his hair; it was always messy and spiked up regardless of his actions so why bother? "Yeah… I know. But I know that you'd have been very upset and worried about Roxas because of me. I'm grateful you put up with that, so I'm grateful to you as well."

"Oh, what makes you think-" Axel tried nervously rubbing his neck.

"I'm not stupid, Axel. Contrary to popular belief, I am actually quite intelligent when the occasion calls for it. But my lips are sealed, I'm happy to wait until both of you are comfortable about it to tell people." He zipped up Axel's jacket which he had pulled on and left the house with a soft nod, sausage sandwich in hand.

Axel stared after him, stunned, "…The little twerp knew?!" Axel was so close to laughing his head off but then he would most likely have been labeled insane so he decided against it, had he not been afraid of Roxas seeing him, he would have done it anyway.

They had managed to fool everyone; everyone except Sora. But that was so improbable it was laughable, and yet it was true. Axel wiped his eyes and shook his head incredulously; the little guy was full of surprises. He looked up the stairs to Roxas' bedroom door. What he'd told Sora was true; he did live with Roxas. But Roxas' parents were never happy about it; they thought Axel was a bad influence. By all rights he was, but no one could influence Roxas. Either he wanted to do something or he didn't and nothing could change that.

The redhead made his way up the stairs and quietly into the dark blonds' bedroom. He knelt by the bed and put his hand on Roxas' forehead, gently brushing the hair out of his boyfriend's eyes, "…You better be okay, Roxy. If not, I swear I will not be able to stop myself from going insane or giving myself back to Darkness." He kissed Roxas cheek sweetly and took the seat Roxas had previously sat in watching Sora, "And boy, have we got to keep an eye on Sora…"

* * *

Sora wasn't feeling his best, he was definitely a bit rash when he'd decided that going out was okay. He needed that letter though. Axel was right though; it was very cold outside. He was grateful he left a pair of shoes at Roxas' house; he usually went there after the beach in Axel's car and then needed some sort of footwear to get home. Riku had thought it practical to leave a pair there. Sadly, because they were meant for after the beach, they were flip-flops; and his toes were freezing. He pressed his arms against his chest and a shuddered breath escaped through his chattering teeth.

"W-why'd I h-have t-to d-drop t-the s-stupid l-letter…?" He grumbled as he made his way slowly but steadily down the street, not another soul in sight due to the hour.

His shoes clacked noisily in the silence; his only companion in the night. He looked up at the stars, slowing to a stop as he looked over the speckled darkness that twinkled back at him with a thousand eyes and the moon shone down on him serenely. Sora sighed heavily; Riku loved nighttimes. He would often try and get Sora to stay awake with him and count the stars. That, however, often served only to put him to sleep faster but it gave Riku endless joy.

Swallowing the thick lump that clogged his throat at thoughts of his love, he soldiered on down to the street corner; he took a left and saw his house on the right side of the street opposite. Not far too the beach now…

Sora suddenly realized how unlikely the chances of the letter having survived two days on the beach where it was subject to the weather, children and litter pickers… Sora's heart nearly stopped at the thought of not finding it. What would Riku think of him?! So carelessly abandoning the only shred of contact he had had from him in weeks…

The brunet burst into a sprint, his feet carrying him hurriedly down the street and straight up to the wooden gate the marked the entrance to the beach where the sand began. When they'd first gated the beach to stop… well know one quite knew what they gate stopped because the gate had never met an opponent it had beaten, but when it had first gone up Sora and Riku were irritated before they realized it really didn't do anything. Now, Sora had never hated seeing something so much in his life as the obstacle it represented in his path to the letter.

His hands outstretched, he caught the top of the closed gate and vaulted over it easily, his rejuvenated body stretching and loosening up his muscles and becoming acutely aware of everything. He landed a few feet from the gate on his feet as if he'd never jumped as high as he had, he brushed his hair back and began to make his way over to where he remembered finding the letter and then smashing the bottle open. It just so happened to be directly behind his house.

Sora walked almost fearfully up to the promenade as sought out the letter, but didn't want to know if it wasn't there. Working up the courage to stand before the waist high promenade he lifted himself up and looked at the floor. The glass was still there, no one had bothered to clean it up as yet, Sora suspected it would be never be cleaned up so he made a mental note to come back later and sweep it away incase any cute little kids stood on it. But as he looked again at the shards, there was no letter. He fell to his knees, his hands gingerly pushing the glass aside desperately but careful of the cuts he had already received from the glass.

"No…" He stammered, "I-It… it c-can't be gone!" Sora's lip began to tremble like a child and his head dropped it the ground where it rested on his clenched fists, "I-I can't have l-lost it!"

…_rustle…_

"Why did I have to faint?!" Sora whined, "I can remember vaguely what was written but I need to see it again!" The burnet declared, "I never meant to lose it, Riku! I promise, I promise I didn't do it on purpose!"

…_rustle…_

"I'll give my left arm to have it back, I would hon-"

…_rustle…_

"Goddammit!" Sora's head shot up and he sprang to his feet, his anger getting the better of him and leading him to yell animatedly at the hedge that boarded the promenade and his back garden, "Can't you frickin' see I am distraught! Even the frickin' shrub wants to help ruin my life! I don't see why someone doesn't just come and…" Sora froze his rant, his wildly gesticulating hands stopped high above his head as something caught his eye.

Stuck in the hedge, neatly tucked away so no one could see it unless they were rummaging through his bushes or if they knew what they were looking at. On a small twig a little way into the hedge hung the letter, the crackling paper supplying the rustling noise as it was tugged on the twig by the gentle sea breeze that pulled at the stunned brunet's hair and clothing.

For a moment or two, all Sora was able to do was open and close his mouth before springing to push aside the thorny branches and clasp the letter between his shaking fingers and palm. Wrenching his arm out, ignoring the thorns that immediately seized the chance to claw at his wrist that had uncovered itself from the jacket and open new wounds as well as old; he pulled the letter to his chest. Catching his breath, the small teen stumbled to the promenades edge and sat down hurriedly.

His hands shook as he daringly opened the letter and re-read its contents, each word making his heart soar. He held the letter to his face and breathed in the sea-salt smell mixed with the faintest of faint smells of Riku that no one would have noticed had they not committed the scent to memory. Feeling oddly happy, he pulled the sausage sandwich Axel had made him out of the jacket pocket and unwrapped it. It was still quite warm and smelled heavenly to the ravenous boy who suddenly became aware he really hadn't eaten in a long time. Devouring it gratefully, he sat back to watch the sunrise, surprised he'd been out for as long as two hours… and the sandwich was still warm…

Sora smiled faintly as it struck him; Axel's power over fire probably let him control temperatures and the all-knowing redhead had probably figured Sora wouldn't eat it immediately if at all. His smile broadened until he was grinning at the sunrise.

He turned the wrapping the sausage sandwich hand been wrapped in over and taped to the back was a napkin and a pen. Axel was scary sometimes… how he seemed to know everything…

He took the paper napkin and began to write his reply:

_Dear Riku, _

_I love you so much. I miss you loads and I hope this finds you like your letter found me. Your letter has made me so happy; I hope mine will do similar for you…_

The pen paused as he wrote and he looked up at the sunrise, the sun was gold.


	4. The Roads Lead to Darkness

I know, its terribly short and i apologise for that. But I needed to tie up some things, a few of you were worried about Roxas so thats been sort of resolved, Sora's character is slowly coming out how I want it too and we briefly meet the villians... whom I will fully reveal later. The person who suggested a kidnapping... the idea wasn't orginally how I had intended the stroy to go, but I'm warming up to it. And I promise, Sora's character will end up sort of how he is in the game. I also want to tell you about where this story came from, if you go on youtube and search Zukoforever, and then click on the one called Hey There Sora and thats where it all came from, although I should warn you... YOU WILL SPOIL THE ENDING IF YOU READ THE DESCRIPTION! RESIST THE TEMPTATION!!! Plus, I might change the stroy anyway... then again I may not. I also wondred if any fo you wanted a lemon in this at all, and between who? Please, only suggest characters that area acctually main to thsi story like Roxa and Axel, Sora nd Riku... not others who may not even be in it or aren't even key to the story. So... REVIEW REVIEW and let me know, k? Cheers, enjoy... Akaiba...

**The Roads Lead to Darkness**

Roxas woke up slowly, every movement feeling like it took twice as much energy than it should have, his arms feeling like dead weights and his eyelids forcibly glued shut despite his best attempts at opening them. He lay still for a few moments, his body prone and blissfully ignorant of the world around him, nothing would make him move.

He wondered whether Sora was okay…

Sighing inwardly he guessed he should have been more worried, at least enough to want to get out of bed, but the blond had given him everything he could; even his own life. There truly was nothing much he could do for the brunet without the other's consent. Axel had said as much when Roxas had told him how he'd been keeping Sora alive by force, something the redhead was dubious about.

He wondered if Axel was okay…

Deciding he had enough to worry about without him postponing things, he groaned with effort and sat up in bed, his head pounding like a gong and his chest aching as though he'd been kicked by a sumo wrestler. He held his head in his hands and gasped sharply at the pain.

"You're awake… that's good…" A voice observed softly, tinged with forced amusement.

Roxas dared to look through his fingers at the person sat by his bed, Axel was watching him, his brow creased in worry and obvious signs of sleepless nights marred the rims of his emerald eyes; eyes that watched him so intensely without ever blinking. Roxas tried to move, reaching for the body just out of his reach, he wanted to feel the warmth Axel seemed to always have, regardless of the dark powers the elder had, Axel always seemed to be warm and loving in just the right way that made Roxas deliriously happy.

Despite however much want the blond put behind his actions, he ended up toppling over the tangled sheets as his dizzy mind confused where the edge of the bed was exactly. Axel shot faster than lightening across the room; his arms curling around the smaller teen's body and pulling him close into the redhead's embrace.

"Careful… you shouldn't try and move so quickly. Just take it easy, okay?" Axel asked, his words soft and silkily gentle as he rubbed a circle on Roxas' back as the half-conscious boy curled tightly between his legs, his hands curled into fists in Axel's red vest top.

"Mfhm… you're warm… mfrhmmfm.." Roxas mumbled. Axel only caught half of the words spoken into his chest but decided to let it go and allow his boyfriend so well deserved rest.

Axel figured that if Roxas was conscious, then he would be okay. He just needed some sleep, although he seemed defiantly unwilling to move from his new spot on Axel's lap so the redhead maneuvered the already asleep boy more comfortably onto the bed and lay down to sleep with him, again rubbing soothing circles onto the almost purring boy's back.

"I wonder how Sora is…" Axel mused before closing his eyes and joining his boyfriend in sleep.

* * *

Sora rubbed his eyes and yawned, waking up was always a hard task and Riku made it so much more fun. Not in the sense that tired Sora out even more, no… Riku always thought it was far more fun to drench him in cold water, steal his covers, kick him out of bed, bounce on his bed or bribe Selphie to sing whatever song she liked as loud as she wanted directly outside his window. 

All resulted in Sora eventually getting out of bed and a very, very bad tempered Sora… which meant an incredibly sarcastic but happy Riku.

Sora smiled fondly at the memories. He'd written his reply the day before, popped it in a milk bottle and sealed it with the cork he had had the foresight to keep. Then he'd thrown it into the sea and watched it float away. Te rest of the day was a blur. He'd decided to go into town and do some grocery shopping before going to work at the diner. Everyone had been really surprised to see him there; smiling too. But no one had dared to ask why incase Sora stopped his smiling and ran home.

But Sora was done being suicidally depressed, he'd never stop missing Riku and his heart ached every time someone said his name or his thoughts drifted to the silveret but he needed to be there for Riku. Like Axel had said, 'he needed to be strong for Riku.'

That in itself was very hard. But he would do it.

He clambered out of bed and went into the bathroom. His mind was intensely analyzing random things; he found it distinctly odd that he was psychoanalyzing the soap as he took a shower. Then it occurred to him that maybe the soap came in such different varieties because it was making up for shortcomings it believed it had because it wasn't like shampoo. Sora's hand froze as he began towel-drying himself off.

"I have seriously, 100, honest to God, lost my mind…" He muttered and then groaned, "And now I am talking to myself…"

Purposefully avoiding eye contact with the pot of something odd that Riku had bought on a whim and left on the dresser as it seemed to be the most likely next candidate for his freaked out mind, he dressed in loose, blue shorts and a form-fitting black t-shirt that read 'If You Want To Know How Good I Am, Ask Your Girlfriend.' It wasn't his, it was Riku's, but it was comforting to wear, despite the slogan on the front.

Bouncing down the stairs two at a time, he grabbed his sandals, strapped them on and was out the door faster then Demyx when the Ice Cream van goes past.

* * *

A leather gloved hand waved over the holographic image before him lazily. The image was of the newest keyblade master. Riku's face never changed expression but blinked occasionally as it walked on the spot. 

The owner of the gloved hand turned to another person in the dark room and asked, "What have you discovered about… _him_." His voice was deep but eloquently refined as it pronounced every syllable to its fullest extent, almost as though he believed he was speaking to an idiot, "I presume you have found _something_ out." And, of course, he believed he was.

The other person in the room made a noise in the affirmative, "Indeed." The voice was male but carried a sarcastic sort of 'I'm way to good for this' tone, "His heart does not respond in the way the others did. His mind is tightly locked and hard to infiltrate… but his heart should have been easy to enter…" The shrouded male sighed in irritation, "The Heartless can barely get close to him; he's that good. But when they do… they barely graze his heart. It's almost as though he doesn't have one."

The other male snorted, "Of course he does, the keyblade would not have chosen him if he didn't."

"Then that leaves only one other explanation: he's given his heart to someone."

"Then find that someone and bring him to me. I want this keyblade master's lover to watch and realize as this…_ Riku _chooses between the fate of millions or his lover." The gloved hand gestured to the hologram and Riku's form was swallowed by darkness, to leave the silveret stood in dark armor that twisted about his body, a black keyblade in hand, "No matter what he chooses, we will still have him."

The irritated male bowed stiffly, his silhouette briefly moving, "I will find the lover and bring him here." Then he left the room.

The remaining man glanced at the newly depicted picture, "You can't escape, young one. No matter which way you turn, each road leads to darkness and each road leads to ruin."

* * *

Sora squealed with delight as he spied a bottle on the beach, tumbling over the sand he snatched the gleaming glass in his tight grip, coming to a stop where the surf crested the sand and soaking his shorts through, droplets of water spraying up into his face. Sora was too ecstatic to care as he brought the bottle up to his face. 

He uncorked it eagerly and watched as the letter fell out easily. He was glad, he was less than willing to endure another 'smashed bottle' episode which he had honorably cleaned up the previous day but the events of which were still scabbed over his arms and legs.

His hands nimbly unrolled the crackling paper to which he pressed as close to his face as he could and still be able to read the perfectly curved words:

_Dearest Sora, _

_I am not going to question how this is even working but I am so glad it is. I hope it is still working and this letter finds you. The war… is going. It's not coming to end but it is continuing. I am starting to think that I am maybe the only reason everyone is doing this. _

_Of course I'm not the only reason why, but all these people are specifically here to get me to some door…the Door to Light I think… and I'm supposed to close it._

_I keep falling asleep; I think there really is something wrong with me. I am glad my letter made you feel better, yours did for me too, but I still feel absolutely awful, my chest aches terribly and I can barely keep focused. Mickey's pulled me out of fighting for a while, but the damn wizard crackpot keeps insisting I'm fine. Apparently, I am just reacting to the deaths around me because I am so young. That may not be too far from the truth, I'm no cold-hearted bastard and I'll admit that… to you._

_The only problem I have is with his secretly telling the king I am just throwing a tantrum to go home. That pissed me off._

_Sorry, Sky. I don't mean to rant. I just… it's been a few weeks but it feels like an eternity. You were in my dreams… and my daydreams… we were on that beach I told you about. You looked so beautiful… I almost cried… then I woke up as you were going to tell me something. I am starting to grow a fondness for that beach… it's the place I keep throwing you're letters into the sea. I know its crazy, but I think its following me. We've been marching for miles in one go and if I only approach the edge of the camp, its there. Creepy, huh?_

_Anyways, I should probably go. Mickey will want to see me soon._

_Love you forever and always, Riku. XXX

* * *

pokes go on, you know you want to... pokes review...puppy-dog face do it pwease... or Riku dies...:P_


	5. Flowers

I loved the lvoely reviews i have recieved, but I still want to know whether you lot want a lemon or not. I hope you like this chapter...REVIEW... -ahem-...

**Flowers.**

Sora held the letter tightly, he usually did. He liked to pretend it was Riku and in a way it was, a small shred of the lover he could once hold whenever he liked but was now left with the letters that came very other day. Riku's letter had been worse than the last one; he did indeed seem to be losing it. Something that made Riku, Riku was his insane determination… and now he seemed to have lost it.

He pulled the pen out his pocket he had put there in case a letter had come. Stumbling back and away from the sea he collapsed to his knees in the sand, bottle, letter, cork and pen in hand as he began to write back, the pen shaking as he once again thought, 'what if I lose him?'

It was a reoccurring thought, how could it not be? Riku had gone to _war_! That meant there was a very high chance that Riku wasn't coming back. But Sora would never let that happen, he would never let Riku go anywhere without him. They'd promised, ever since they were small and never even really knew what love was. They'd always promised…

"_Wiku?"_

"_Yea, Sora?"_

"_Will it always bwe wike dis? Jwust us?"_

_Little seven year old Riku pondered this as the two boys watched the night sky from the top of Riku's house, a few years before the night the silveret's parents died. His large aquamarine eyes were narrowed in thought as Sora watched him intently._

"_I… I don't think it'll always be _just_ us…" Riku said slowly, Sora almost began to cry at the thought of losing Riku, his six year old lip trembling in warning, but Riku was still stuck in his train of thought, "…maybe… maybe it'll always be us. No matter whether there are others with us… there will always be us. Because… because we'll go together, everywhere…okay?"_

_Sora's lip stopped trembling as he thought over Riku's words. His face suddenly split into a grin as he decided that what Riku had said was acceptable._

"_M'kay!" He giggled._

…Sora smiled faintly at the memory. Memories of the times they shared always seemed to calm him down and helped him get by. Maybe that's what Riku needed, a little trip down memory lane. The pen moved quickly as he began to scribble down as many memories as he could think of on the spur of the moment, his wonky handwriting covering the back of Riku's letter within minutes.

He wrapped the paper up and slipped it into the bottle, corking it and taking a running start as he hurled it into the ocean, the glass glinting at him like a beacon as it sailed through the air. Sora giggled madly at it, then decided that there was absolutely nothing funny about a glass bottle so he began to head home. He had a bounce in his step and a content smile on his face as he eagerly awaited the next day and the hopeful reply Riku would send him.

The brunet didn't even make it more than ten steps past the beach gate before he was attacked by a purple-red blur.

"SORA!"

"EEP!!" Sora screamed, "I DON'T WANT TO DIE! WHATEVER IT IS I DIDN'T DO IT! PLEASE DON'T TAKE MY SOUL!"

Kairi stared at him cautiously, "…I don't want your soul…" She made a face, "I'll bet soul's taste naaasty!" She blinked then her face turned serious, "Sora, have you heard from Roxas or Axel? They won't pick up when I ring and they won't answer the door either, I've had to stop Demyx from-"

"Taking an axe to their front door?" He finished knowingly.

Kairi blinked again, "How did you know?"

Sora sighed, "Because Axel had to stop Demyx from doing the same thing to my door. I have a sneaking feeling that he desperately wants to use that axe… I don't even want to know where he found it."

Kairi smiled, "Nami's house!" She supplied. Sora stared incredulously, Kairi shrugged, "She says it's the most effective weed-whacker."

Sora decided he really didn't want to know, "Axel and Roxas… last I saw of them, Roxas was unconscious and Axel was making breakfast." He frowned, realizing he hadn't gone to check if the blond was alright since he'd woken up from his mini coma, "Come on," He grabbed her by her wrist, "Let's go make sure they're okay…"

* * *

BANG! BANG! BANG!

"Axel you open this Goddamned door or I will give you such a cold shower you'll wish you were a girl your balls will shrink that fast!" Demyx hollered.

Passersby snapped their heads in his direction from Roxas and Axel's front door, their eyes wide with fear, or, in the case of the women, amusement. Sora and Kairi bolted into a run, the fact that they knew Demyx wasn't joking making them fear for their friend's safety.

"Demyx!" Kairi yelled as the dirty blond came into view, "Calm down!"

Sora nearly 'eeped' again that day at the sight of the axe in the sitar player's hands, poised ready to attack the innocent looking blue door, "Dem... put the axe down…" He held his hands up in a show of peace and to make sure Demyx knew he wasn't target number two, after the door of course.

Demyx let out a small whine, "But… but…but… I wanna see Axel and Roxas!"

It's not very often you see a nineteen year old whine and when you do, there's usually something wrong with them. In Demyx' case, there's nothing _wrong_ with him per say… he's just a child that refused to grow up and that makes him all the more likeable. The only problem with Demyx whining this time was he was armed.

Kairi followed Sora's lead and held her arms up in surrender and they both slowly began to approach the older male, "Demy…" She began softly, "Sora can get us inside… Roxas gave him a spare key, remember? Sora's the only one who hasn't lost it so I went to find him."

Sora nodded eagerly, "And now we can all go see Axel and Roxas… o-okay?"

Demyx gave this some serious thought, the axe lowered a few inches in the air. The two younger teens were only a foot away from Demyx then so Kairi leant over and gently removed the weapon from his more than capable hands.

Sora breathed a heavy sigh of relief and shakily pulled his keys from his pocket, selected the right key and opened the front door. He entered and immediately went upstairs, he gestured for Kairi and Demyx to stay downstairs. The redhead and the blond looked at each other curiously but obediently sat down on the sofa in the living room. Kairi thought it wise to keep quiet in case they were asleep so she took great pleasure in smacking Demyx' hand every time it reached for the remote.

In seconds, the bouncing brunet had sprinted into the living room, his face a red hue to rival Axel's hair, his head bowed in embarrassment.

"Wassup? Are they okay?" Demyx asked, not quite figuring out why the small boy could possibly be embarrassed.

Sora nodded, "Y-yeah… there f-fine…"

Kairi's face split into a grin as she clicked, "Ooooh…" She sniggered.

"W-what?! What's up? I don't get it!" Demyx cried, his head snapping from Sora to Kairi.

She waved at him to shush him; he obediently stayed quiet, "So… should we go now? I don't think we should intrude any more than is necessary." Her Cheshire cat grin still in place.

Sora nodded and they hastily left, locking the door behind them as they went. Once outside, the brunet turned to his two friends:

"Hey, do either of you two know where Nami might be? I need to ask her for something."

Kairi smirked at Demyx who smirked right back. The blond began, "She'll be at the florists."

"Why?"

"Marly works there." Kairi explained as if that explained everything.

"And…"

Demyx sighed, "She's, like, in love with the guy." He shook his head, "Shame he doesn't even realize she's even there. I don't think he can see past his roses to know that she even comes into the store."

"He's twenty-two, isn't he?" Kairi asked, Demyx nodded, "She's going for an older man… how interesting and completely un Namine-ish."

"She's seventeen, that's not much of a difference."

"Yeah, but he's not going to be interested in a teenager…"

Sora decided to sneak away at that point. Kairi and Demyx loved to gossip; Sora didn't. He did, however, want to find Namine so he left the two of them on the street chattering away and made his way to the island's only florists, run by Marluxia and home to the most amazing flowers ever… due to his Dark Powers. Some might laugh because he has power over flowers… but it made him incredibly popular with girls... even if he couldn't see that.

* * *

The store was 'open and happy to help' according to the curvy writing on the welcome sign, Sora pushed the door open and walked into the humid shop overflowing with vibrantly coloured flowers amongst almost neon green leaves. Sora grinned as he spotted a flowing head of white blonde hair, hunched over ivory shoulders and a white dress in the corner of a room facing a particularly beautiful plant and drawing it avidly, their blue eyes taking in its every twist and edge and capturing it stunningly on the paper.

Sora gasped at the drawing, "Nami… it's amazing!" He breathed.

She jumped and looked round at him, "Sora!" She smiled, "Don't sneak up on me like that, I'll have a heart attack."

He smiled back and sat down on the floor beside her, "Kai and Dem told me I would find you here. I walked in and immediately thought I would probably find you somewhere as pretty as this too. What do you like about this place the best…?" He made idle conversation as he sneakily pinched her sketchbook from her lap.

Consumed with the need to come up with an adequate and believable reason for her being in the florists, she didn't notice as he began to flick through the pages of the book. Sora's hand stopped on one picture that he instantly recognized; it was Marly, in all his glory. He was surrounded by flowers on every side and he held a white rose loosely in his fingers. Sora grinned and gingerly pulled it out from the sketchpad.

"Erm…well…I-I…"

Namine needn't have bothered, Sora wasn't listening anyway as he rummaged through the fat and well justified book. Sora's hands froze over another picture, this one nearly made him cry. It was him and Riku, they were sitting on the tree swing in Namine's back garden, their hands interlaced, Sora leaning on Riku's shoulder and the silveret's arm around Sora's waist. It was as good as a photo… no better, you could feel the love Namine had poured into it and it made the picture almost alive as Sora and Riku were immortalized in that single moment.

"N-Nami…c-can I h-have t-this p-picture?" Sora asked, his voice cracking slightly as he kept his sorrow at bay.

Namine blinked at the picture shown to her and then she smiled sadly, "Of course, Sor-Sor. It's all yours, I was going to give it to you on your birthday, but now seems like a better time." She took the book from him and took the picture out. She handed it to him and he took it before throwing his arms around her tightly.

"Thanks, Nami… I'm going to make you as happy as you've just made me… I promise… and if everything goes wrong… I'll kill him, 'kay?" He mumbled into her neck.

She blinked, utterly lost by his words, "…okay…?"

He grinned and leapt up from the floor, gave her a sisterly kiss on the cheek and wondered off into the shop and out of her sight.

Sora spotted Marluxia working away near the back of the store and made his way over to him, his face one of determination as he stopped at the elder's shoulder.

"Hey Marly, I haven't seen you in a long time." Sora said conversationally.

Marluxia looked up in surprise, then he smiled faintly at the burnet; Sora had that effect on people, "Hey Sky, I have been busy lately. My friends and I all have summer jobs so we can make it to college, the fees are really expensive." Marluxia beamed, "But we'll make it, don't you worry."

"I have no doubt you will." Sora looked over to where he'd come from, "Hey, how come you never told me Namine was here?" pretending he hadn't already seen the blonde girl.

Marluxia blinked, "She is?"

The burnet nearly growled in anger, as much as he liked Marly, Namine was like his little sister, "Yeah… she is. She's over there in that corner drawing that plant."

Marluxia looked over and made a face of surprise, "Well… look at that. She is. Heh, I love that flower…" Had Marluxia not moved back to his work, Sora's fist would have contacted with the pink-haired male's head. Sora couldn't control it, Marly had got him cross.

Sora sighed and folded his arms; Marly looked at the glowering brunet with complete confusion which only irritated Sora further, "You really have no idea? Either that or you don't care!" Sora growled, "Look…" He pulled the picture of Marly Namine had drawn and thrust it into the elder's hands, "… look at this and you tell me what you see when you look back at her. And it better not be some stupid plant!"

Sora stormed out of the shop, barely taking the time to wave at Namine who hadn't heard any of the conversation that he had just had with Marluxia. Other than the good yelling he'd just given the pink-haired male, Sora was in a very good mood and eager for the next day and now he had the perfect gift to send Riku, plus it would fit in the bottle. Sora wasn't sure if he would and he wasn't brave enough to try just in case he couldn't get out again. Almost skipping down the street he made his way home.

* * *

"Have you located the lover?"

"Yes. And one of the keyblade bearers comrades was more than happy to tell all he knew on the subject… with a little persuasion of course."

"Good. And the results?"

"The lover lives on a small world in the middle of nowhere, we probably would not have even bothered with its pitiful heart had our attentions not been drawn to it."

"What is the name of this lover?"

"The comrade said that the bearer called him… _Sora_." Spra an Riku; Land and Sky… how pitifully poetic… no wonder this keyblade bearer wasn't going to last very long, "Shall I go and… retrieve him? I'm sure he'll be more than cooperative."

"After a little more persuasion?"

"Of course."

"Go, then. Bring me the key to our success."

* * *

A bottle bobbed a long the languid waves, slowly making its way to the shore in steady movements. As it approached the sand, an armored figure came running over the hill that sheltered the beach from everything else.

The armor was blood stained and slashed across at the armguards and grieves. A gauntleted hand snatched the bottle up from the sand and opened it, teal green eyes eagerly devouring the contents of the letter in seconds of the paper having opened beneath his fingers. The eyes that were, only moments ago, so empty and dead reflected a glimmer of hope and love that stayed for a few minutes as another message was scrawled on the paper, slotted back in the bottle, sealed and thrown back into the sea. Then the spark of life died and the armored figure was alone on the beach, so he began to make his way despondently back over the hill and back to the remnants of the army.

There was no color, no trees, no flowers, no life… nothing but black everywhere. Riku had never missed flowers so much.

* * *

REVIEW!

Right, so we all know that Roxas and Axel are waaay more than okay. If you didn't get what happened, Sora went up to Roxas' room to here some very familiar noises that he usually made with Riku, he got embaressed and ran downstairs. So they are okay, and of course Sora had to but his nose into Namine's life and set her up with Marly. I think taht will be just about all the social down time Sora will get, from now... it's fight for your life, Sora. :P

REVIEW! Akaiba xx


	6. Scattered Memories

I know it's taken me while, but even though i am posting this, I am not completely satisfied with it. The lemon is a little rushed, but i did that on purpose. i'll explain latter why. Lol, after you have read it.

**Shattered Memories**

Sora clambered out of bed, eagerness consuming his being once again as his feet touched the floor. He'd not gotten much sleep at all as his mind and heart awaited the reply he desperately hoped would be on the beach. He moved over to his dresser and touched the picture Namine had given him yesterday tenderly. Sora dressed quickly, he didn't bother with a shower, he would get one when he came back but at that moment all he wanted was to be at the beach.

His pajamas were discarded haphazardly around his room as he donned a black t-shirt with red shorts. He ran a brush lazily through his hair and ran to the door, his feet slipping into his sandals and propelling him out the door and onto the street with little trouble.

* * *

It was fairly early in the morning so no one his age was out, only people off to work and _those_ sort of old people that are always out, no matter the hour. Deciding he was too tired to run the way, he took a leisurely stroll down the paved street, a light breeze tugging at his clothes and hair. As he was walking he noticed that the park's gate was open and clanking softly in the wind. He frowned, only the local kids or people resisting becoming adults and his friends used the park. It had benches and normal park things but the play park was so huge, there wasn't really anything called 'quiet in there'.

At least, not if you want when they were normally there. At the current hour, it was unlikely even Demyx was up; and he got up when the sun got up, and that wasn't for another few minutes. Sora decided he would take a look around and see who exactly couldn't wait to use the park.

It was completely deserted, no noise. Not even the birds were awake yet. The flowers were beginning to open and there was the fresh, heady perfumes of their scents just beginning to tint the air. As Sora went further into the park, he noticed the plants were progressively becoming more open, and that was not due to the sun, it hadn't even touched the horizon yet. He frowned again and crouched over, deciding to use the leafy bushes as cover rather than wander down the pinkish paving.

"…that's why I didn't realize, I'm stupid like that."

Sora blinked, his eyebrows shooting to his hairline, he recognized that voice…

"You're not stupid. I don't blame you for any of that. I don't want this to be a case of you feeling guilty and this be..."

Sora recognized that voice too.

"It's not, I promise."

Creeping closer to where the voices were coming from, he parted a few leaves and peered into the clearing where he knew there was a bench, a bench that him and his friends frequented at... before Riku left. He shook his head and looked at the figures in the small break in trees.

His mouth nearly hit the floor and he stomped viscously on the urge to 'squee'.

Namine was sat on the bench, her legs bent to the side and hands folded over the sketchpad that never left her side in a true lady-like fashion, her hair perfectly in place and she looked every bit the angel Riku had nicknamed her, her blond hair radiating its own light that seemed to brighten everything. It wasn't uncommon to find Namine there, but what surprised Sora was the other person stood before her in normal clothes (and for once with out the green apron), his pink hair spiked to Axel's standards; it was Marluxia.

"I do want to spend time with you; I am honest to God not doing it to ease my guilt. I just… I can't explain it. I've just realized how empty everything is when you aren't there." Marluxia explained, fumbling his words as he tried to convey his feelings.

Namine smiled sweetly and nodded her head in understanding, "I believe you, please don't feel the need to-"

"But I have to! I need you to know without question that this isn't a pity thing or anything, Namine, you're too good for that, I-"

Sora quelled the 'aw' that rose in his throat and decided it was best of he just left. Carefully tip-toeing away, he made a beeline for the park's exit and continued down to the beach, a happy feeling in his heart at having been able to help his friend.

* * *

The sand was warm beneath his toes. His face was a picture of acceptance, he would wait forever and he would never ever tire of it as long as Riku came home in the end. Sora carried his sandals in one hand as he scoured the coastline in search of something shiny-

"_Shiny! SHINY!" Sora screamed, he dived on Selphie and tore the foil wrapper out of her hand, the glinting material making his eyes widen in fascination. Fourteen year old Sora loved shiny objects almost as much as he loved Santa._

_Selphie shrieked in rage and Riku absent mindedly through her a sugar cookie, after a while, the insanity that surrounded him became customary and he worried when it wasn't there. Riku was, however, more interested in Sora's new obsession and devising a way to use this to his advantage. Riku would stop at nothing to get what he wanted, so he pulled the silver crown chain out from under his shirt and watched it sparkle in the light, the metal warm in his palm._

"_Oh Sora…" The silveret almost purred._

_Sora turned, holding the foil protectively against his chest as if Riku wanted to take it away from him. Then he saw the gleaming metal and was instantly captivated by it._

"_Do you want it, Sora?" _–Sora blushed, how many times had heard that line over the past few years?– _Sora nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the necklace, "Well… I'll give it to you, on one condition…"_

_Sora was barely listening as the necklace slowly became the center of his still childish and immature universe, "Anything…"_

_Riku grinned, just the answer he was looking for, "Give me a kiss." He said simply._

_Sora jumped and snapped from his trance, shock on his face, "W-What?!" He yelped._

"_You said anything."_

"_Y-Yeah b-but-"_

"_Anything…"_

"_R-Riku! You c-can't… I…" Sora was at a loss to convey his reasoning's, even if he had he knew it would have only made it worse by giving Riku _that_ piece of information._

_Sora blushed furiously and pressed his lips quickly onto Riku's, his intent being to pull away the next second, but Riku wasn't having that. He gripped the smaller boy's arms tightly and pulled him flush against him, the kiss quickly turning heated as he ran a finger down Sora's spine, making him gasp and seizing the chance to slip his tongue into the other's mouth. The brunet was absolutely terrified at first, but he relaxed and closed his eyes, surprised to find it was a lot better than he'd thought. He began to moan and kiss back tentatively as Riku pulled back, Sora whined._

"_So, Sora, how did you like your first kiss?" Ah… Riku had known about _that_. Sora blushed furiously; he thought he'd hidden that little fact quite well._

Sora giggled, it had been his first kiss and Riku had been the only one to leave him breathless like that. Granted, he'd only kissed others at parties for dares or stuff (Riku hadn't liked that one bit) but Sora wasn't going to complain when Riku made him feel so good.

The smiling brunet gingerly touched the chain he still wore, it was over his t-shirt and it gleamed proudly in the rising sunlight. Sora hadn't removed it since the day he'd won it and Riku had tied it around his neck. The sunlight suddenly caught something down by the water; Sora's attention was immediately diverted to that. He burst into a jog and was at the water's edge in seconds, his free hand scooping up the bottle that was indeed there.

He moved back a little into the soft sand, cold but warming as the golden rays of light streaked the pale sky orange. He set his shoes down and opened the bottle.

_Sora,_

_All those memories… I wouldn't think you'd remember all of those. I'm glad you have though; it helps me to remember them as well. I haven't forgotten, but their so good and pure and here is so… not._

_What surprise have you got for me? I can't wait to see what it is. As long as it isn't something odd, like your finger or something. I remember watching that on the TV where the woman sent her lover her index finger and you freaked so bad… it was the best night I've ever had. I'm not sadistic or anything… I was just happy that you would never let me let go of your hand._

_Sora, I have a bad feeling. About you. I'm worried, I can't quite figure out what's wrong exactly but I want you to promise me you'll be careful, okay? I now it's the island but just promise me._

_Riku_

_Xxx_

Sora swallowed nervously, Riku's 'feelings' were never wrong. Ever. He'd been right when he'd thought Kairi was going to be hurt once and she'd accidentally fallen from a large wall and she'd broken her arm, and when Roxas had come into his powers. Riku was like a psychic or something, but it only worked for people he was close to. And he was closest to Sora. That made what he was feeling more worrying.

Sora turned the letter over and wrote back hurriedly, his thoughts pouring onto the page amongst his comforts and sweet nothings. He popped it back into the bottle along with the drawing he'd brought and placed the cork over it.

However, as he pulled back his arm to through the letter, he realized something. He'd been communicating with Riku for a few days now… and not once had he told his friends. Sora's face became pained as he was overcome with guilt; Sora might have been Riku's boyfriend, but their friends loved and cared for Riku too. He lowered his arm and held the bottle close to him. This was going to involve a lot of explaining, and possibly a few angry words that he hadn't told them sooner.

Sora swallowed nervously and made his way back from the beach and into the island's town, first stop: Axel's house. Sora doubted they'd be awake, but by the time he'd be leaving, they would be.

* * *

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

Sora grinned as he heard curses and a few thuds from behind the door, it was still fairly early so the noises carried and those who were out looked over in apprehension and curiosity. However, when it was Axel's head that emerged from the door, they all disappeared hurriedly.

"Morning, sunshine!" The brunet beamed, all smiles and cheer as he watched the redhead squint at him, his hair a mess and only wearing a pair of cotton trousers.

Axel grunted and opened the door for Sora to enter through, he did and made his way into the kitchen, a moody red storm cloud following and grumbling about the perky teen as Sora sat down at the table. Axel began making coffee and shot Sora a dark look.

"I don't mind you coming over… I'm ecstatic when you do, even. But for God's sake! Use the freakin' key we gave you!" Axel growled. Sora's smile widened as the other continued, "Why are you even here so early? You know me and Rox never get up 'til later… plus we've been-"

Sora covered his ears with a yelp, "I know! I heard you yesterday!"

Axel drew a small amount of pleasure from Sora's distress and smiled evilly, "Then explain why you're here."

The burnet produced the bottle and held it so Axel could see but wouldn't hand it over, "Remember when I asked you if you knew where Riku's letter was?" Axel nodded, he wasn't entirely clear on why Sora had asked that but he remembered that Sora had, even through his morning haze, "Well… I asked that because I'd gotten a letter from Riku. That day, when you found me on the beach, I found it in a little glass bottle." He took a deep breath before continuing, a little concerned by the blank expression Axel as giving him, "And we've been talking for the past few days… what?"

Axel was watching him sadly; his face a mix of pity, pain and regret, "Sora…" He set his mug down and approached the brunet, kneeling before him and holding his hands tightly, "Sora… Mickey sent me a letter yesterday. I wanted to talk to you about it, but I couldn't, I thought you knew, I never wanted to spoil everything by saying it first, so I kept quiet, but you don't know, do you? Sora… Riku's not coming back."

It was Sora's turn to stare blankly at the other, "…what? But I've been writing to him…"

"Sora-"

"He's been writing back!"

"Sora-"

"I'll show you!"

"Sora!" Axel was on his feet again and towering over him, pain etched into all of his features, "I tried, I didn't ever want to say anything to you, I knew I would have to sometime and that's why I am, but Sora, I am hurting by this news of Riku too, but I can't listen to your lies!"

"Riku's not dead!" Sora insisted, he slammed a hand on the tabletop, the bottle held close as he rose to stare up at Axel, "I don't care what you think! I have been talking to him and I thought you might want to say something so I came here, but you're being a bastard and making up really shitty jokes-"

"Why the hell would I make this up?!" Axel demanded.

"Then why are you the only one who got a letter?!"

Axel's front door burst open and Kairi stormed in, her face streaked with tears, her eyes red and puffy as she ran up to Sora and Axel. She through her arms around Sora's neck and sobbed into his neck, "I-I'm s-so s-sorry! I-I only j-just g-got the l-letter! I-I'm s-so s-sorry!"

Sora stared at the girl holding him so tightly and pushed her away, his face snapping from confusion to anger, "You guys think you're so fucking funny! I'm not going to ever forgive you for this! Riku's not dead! He's alive!" his voice dropped to a whisper, "I _know _he is." He glared at Axel and Kairi, "I know he is!"

Kairi glanced to Axel as Sora ran from the house, neither made any move to stop him, Axel sighed heavily and fell onto a seat in the kitchen, he spoke softly to the girl "He didn't read the letter."

* * *

He's not dead!

"_Sora!" Riku cried happily as they fell onto the grass, the burnet landing on top of the surprised silveret and giggling madly._

He's not dead!

_Riku ran a hand through Sora's hair. Their eyes met and Riku placed a gentle kiss on Sora's soft lips as Sora blushed lightly._

"_I love you, sky."_

He's not dead!

"_I..I-I love you t-too, R-Riku." Sora blushed. _

_Riku grinned victoriously and pushed Sora back onto the grass, barely allowing a squeak of surprise to escape the boy before he ravished the younger's lips, plunging his tongue into the unaware mouth that welcomed him delightedly, Sora's own tongue pressing and battling with Riku's until Riku claimed victory again and plundered the mouth before him relentlessly._

_Both parted for breath, or in Sora's case, as the smaller arched off the ground and pressed himself into the hands Riku ran lovingly over his body beneath his loose shirt._

"_R-Riku!"_

He's not dead!

_Sora allowed Riku to remove his shirt, soon followed by Riku's shirt as they both lay in their garden, surrounded by the heady smells of summer flowers and the humid air that made their contact that more exciting as they memorized each other's bodies._

_Riku began to slide down to Sora's pants when Sora gasped in realization, "R-Riku!" He panicked._

_Riku smiled up at him, "I'll stop whenever you want me to, okay?"_

_Sora swallowed nervously but nodded, his eyes widening as his jeans were removed, followed by his boxers. He couldn't restrain the moan that escaped him as Riku touched his member gently, thumbing the head with his rough hands._

He can't be!

_Sora moaned again sharply as Riku swallowed him, his cock disappearing into the hot cavern that threatened to push him over the edge already. He threaded his tanned fingers into Riku's dazzling hair that danced in the sunlight. The elder's head bobbed up and down, his tongue twisting around Sora, sucking and pressing, his hands rubbing sensually around Sora's groin until Sora cried out Riku's; name and came hard into the eagerly awaiting mouth._

_Riku leant up, watching Sora orgasm and almost cumming himself at the look of pure ecstasy on Sora's face and knowing he'd caused it._

He's can't be! He just can't!

_Smiling down at Sora, Riku removed his own jeans and boxers, leaning over Sora and kissing him lovingly so Sora could taste himself. Sora grinned at Riku and took the offered fingers into his mouth happily, sucking and tasting them thoroughly until Riku pulled them back satisfactorily._

"_This may hurt… but it'll get better…" Riku whispered into Sora's ear._

_Immediately, Sora's eyes widened and he was about to ask Riku to explain but Riku had already lifted Sora's legs and pressed a finger into the puckered entrance._

_The younger cried out and arched his back painfully, fisting the grass tightly and tearing it from the soil as Riku added another. Riku frowned in worry as he saw tears leaking from Sora's eyes, the blue eyes that always held so much happiness and joy… he was causing this pain. The crystal tears… he almost wanted to stop, the thought that Sora would eventually enjoy it kept him going._

_He scizzored his fingers and added the third, pressing further into Sora until he brushed the tight bundle of nerves that instantly made Sora gasp in pleasure, the tears stopping in his eyes as Riku pressed again, harder. Relief washed over him and he seized the opportunity to replace his fingers with something much bigger. _

_At first, Sora winced, but as Riku thrust against his prostate he moaned noisily._

Please don't let them be right!

_Sora's cries were met with bites and groans from Riku as he thrust harder and faster in and out of Sora until both were shaking with pleasure, sweat dripping from their bodies and sticking them together. _

_Riku emitted another moan as he shuddered and released deep inside of Sora, their bodies relaxing as Riku pulled out of Sora lay beside him, both breathing heavily and shaking slightly._

Please, God, don't let them be right.

That night… Riku had said he'd never, ever leave Sora again. They'd been so happy, so complete and Sora had been blind enough to believe that nothing could tear them apart. Axel had gotten a letter yesterday, Kairi this morning… Sora ran towards his house and opened the front door, his eyes closed firmly, desperate not to look down.

"_I promise, I'm never ever going to leave you. We're together forever and we do everything together, like I've always said. Right?"_

He can't be… please.

Sora looked down. There was a small, green letter by his feet with an official looking stamp on it looking like three circles joined at their edges. It looked oddly like that… mouse's… head…

"Please…" Sora begged as he stared at the letter, "Don't let him be…"

* * *

Right, explaining time. A few of you wanted a lemon, so that'l have to do for know. i am working a not memory one in but the memory was necessary for Sora's thoughts, I mean, what's the first thing that happens when you hear about someone you love having something awful happen to them? Before acception, and during denial and worry you remember all the good times. I can say that from experience. So, Sora's remebering and it's quick because memories are often relived quickly, cos you already now the next bit. A little like wacthing a movie on fast-forward.

Any way, REVIEW!! Show me you love me, and the next chappie will be out soon... or do you not want to know if Ri-Ri is dead?

Akaiba.


	7. Make the Pain Go Away

ME again!! don't u love me?! Anyway... this chappie is just to tie up a few things before we go full throtle into what happens when Riku and Sora meet or something like that... and Sora has sort of been kidnapped, but you won't think so until the next chapter. Pay close attention to the way Sora's mind just blanks.

**Make the Pain Go Away.**

Sora looked down at the letter as though it were about to leap up and chew his face off, he stood between the door and the hallway, terrified to move. Any sudden movements and the moment would shatter, not that he wanted to stare at the threatening letter for eternity, but even, then in that moment, he could deny vehemently to himself that Riku was dead.

Memories swirled in his head: the first smile Riku ever gave him, their first sleepover, their first meal together, their first kiss, their first joke… them. Sora could only focus on how if it were true, he would cease to be Sora. He'd be a shell: without Riku he was nothing.

And he hated that.

He hated that he depended so much on another person, he hated that his life was governed by another's existence, he hated that a small letter contained his future but most of all he hated that he would never have Riku ever again. Something snapped inside of him. All deniability was gone; he had no hope, his face a blank canvas nonchalant indifference as he bent down and retrieved the letter. He shut the door softly and made his way into the living room. He sat down stiffly, his back straight and his eyes half-shut as though he were tired.

He opened the letter, the bottle he'd brought back discarded at his side. It rolled off the sofa and hit the floor. The glass didn't break, but it clinked as it rolled across the floor and into the leg of the coffee table. Sora paid it no attention and began to read:

_To whom it may concern,_

_I regret to inform you that during the war to end Darkness once and for all, the keyblade master has died. _

_His death was brave and noble but we have not succeeded in our mission and the army is returning home. Riku will not be. His body has been buried and he has been given a warriors funeral. _

_Yours sincerely,_

_MM_

Sora looked at the letter, his face still completely blank. He stared at it a moment, before he lowered his hands and the letter feel from his fingers, he slumped back into the chair and his eyes stared at the ceiling, or rather through it, as he lost himself in his thoughts.

He didn't notice the door open.

His mind was completely empty of thought, he tried to think but it was as if a fog had descended onto his mind, he could catch glimpses of thoughts as they brushed his consciousness but as he reached out they would scatter like ripples on a pond.

He didn't notice as a figure came through the door.

It had to be a trick… didn't it? Riku couldn't be dead. It seemed so unreal as he tried to imagine his lover, he tried to imagine his lover being dead. It wasn't possible. Nothing would fit, he couldn't even see it in his mind much less it happening for real.

He didn't even notice as the figure came to stand right before him.

"Does it hurt?" The figure asked softly.

Sora swallowed and took a deep breath before answering, "It's not real…"

"Do you not believe them?"

"No."

"Do you doubt they are telling the truth?"

"Yes."

"Does it hurt to think it's true?"

"Yes…" Sora gulped, "It does…"

"Do you want to hurt anymore?"

"No."

"You've done nothing but hurt since he left, haven't you?" The figure moved closer to Sora and through back his black hood. Sora caught a brief flash of blue hair but he didn't care enough to look closer.

"Yeah…"

"Do you want the pain to go away?" The man asked.

Sora closed his eyes, his thought. His mind was still empty and sluggish as he tried to think of why he could possibly want the pain to stay. He kept his eyes closed as he replied in a hoarse whisper, "Yes…"

"I can make the pain go away. You just have to come with me."

Sora opened his eyes halfway and looked down at the man know kneeling before him, one hand outstretched to him and the other elegantly touching the floor to keep his balance as he effectively bowed to the brunet. Sora looked at the hand for a few moments as a sliver of his mind returned to council him. _You've got nothing left to lose…_

Nothing at all.

Sora lifted his hand and reached out to other's hand, he placed it lightly in the leather gloved hand and was swiftly held in a tight grip. Sora looked at the man for the first time; he had amber eyes and long blue hair, he had pointed ears and an odd scar shaped like an 'X" over his face. Sora wanted to laugh at him… and there was a small part of him that began to panic; this wasn't like Sora at all. Sora pushed it aside and allowed the man to pull him to his feet.

"It'll all be over soon. I promise." The man leered.

Sora ignored him; he honestly didn't care as long as he didn't have to feel anymore.

* * *

"He should be here soon." The elder, eloquent voice mused as he watched another who was chained to the wall before him, "Are you happy?" 

The male on the wall had his head hidden in the shadows, he didn't want to look at the other, "And why w-would… I be… happy…" He rasped out, his tone venomous but he was gasping for breath.

"Now, now, no need for that. You haven't seen him in a while; I would have thought you'd be excited about the prospect of a final meeting." The older man chided the other, sarcastically.

The younger said nothing. The older man let out a mockingly and left the dark room, the only sound being his echoing laughter until the door slammed and then the only companion of the young male left inside was his heavy breathing.

* * *

Roxas glared at Axel, "Why did you do that?! I woke up as if from a nightmare I felt his pain that bad! How could you be so harsh?!" 

"Don't shout at me for doing what I felt was necessary! I am not pandering to his every whim when I am mourning for Riku too, he needs to grow up and stop believing everything is going to be okay!" Axel yelled back.

Roxas growled, "And what evidence do you have that he was lying?!"

"You believe him?!"

"I believe him over so fucking mouse that I've never even said two words to, yes!" Roxas turned on his heel and made for the door.

"Where are you going?!" Axel demanded.

"I'm going to make sure Sora's not dead or something! I care about him, unlike you." He slammed the door and was gone without anything else being allowed to be said.

* * *

Roxas came to Sora's street and turned to face the brunet's house, his mouth fell open in an instance. He knew something was wrong; the front door was open and swinging lightly on the breeze. He'd known something was wrong, he'd known the moment he'd exited the house. 

He couldn't feel Sora anymore.

Roxas burst into a run and entered the house, his eyes wide with panic as he searched the house.

"Sora!"

He ran through the living room, the bedrooms, the kitchen, the dining room, the bathroom and the garden until his feet hurt and his throat was sore.

"Sora! Answer me, dammit!" He hollered.

He fell to his knees in the living room and spotted the letter on the sofa, the letter he had found awaiting him yesterday. He knew the contents without looking.

"Sora…" Roxas murmured pityingly, so he has read the letter…

As he made to move, his foot knocked something by the coffee table.

_CLINK_

Roxas froze. He looked down and cocked his head to the side in curiosity as he spied the glass bottle hiding behind the coffee table's leg. He gingerly lifted it up and opened it. Pulling the two pieces of paper out he recognized Sora's handwriting, he briefly read through it before turning it over.

The bottle fell from his hands and shattered on the floor by his feet as he gasped. It was Riku's handwriting… it was definitely Riku's wording too… _Sora hadn't been lying!_

Roxas held the letter and picture he'd discovered tightly in his hands and bolted from the house.


	8. A Darker Part of Me

Whooopa! Two updates in one day! I am both feeling especially grateful to you guys for your support and I am excited as to where this is going. I hope you like thsi next update, those of you who have watched the AMV i made and/or cheated by reading the description will know where this is going. Vaguely where this is going, I am not sure what tricks Sora's gonna pull and suddenly have me going in a different direction.

**A Darker Part of Me**

Roxas burst into his house, the door banging loudly off the wall. It left a mark but he wasn't concerned with that.

"Axel!" he screamed, tears ran down his face, the letter and picture were clutched so tightly in his hands, his fists were white, 'Axel!" He screamed again.

His chest was tight, he could barely breathe. He fell to his knees in the doorway of the living room and the hallway as he managed to open the door. It had steadily gotten worse as he'd run home, an ache in his heart that grew to a stabbing pain and then crippling agony as he desperately tried to find someone- anyone!

"Axel! Axel, help!" His screams were loud but dying as he began to shudder, his brain freaking out at the amount of pain he was receiving.

Axel jumped down the stairs. Not just took them two at a time or jumped the last few; he leapt from the top to the bottom and landed upright as he turned to see Roxas in the doorway near him. He skidded down beside the blond and lifted him up into his arms, "Rox! Roxas! W-what happened? Why are you screaming?!" Panic was evident in the elder's voice as he watched the teen convulse.

"S-Sora! S-something… w-wrong… c-can't find h-him…" It was all Roxas could utter as his eyes closed and he blacked out.

* * *

"Would you like something to eat?" The blue-haired man asked from across the table.

Sora stared through the gleaming white table as if it wasn't there, his face blank and void as though _he_ wasn't even there.

"No."

"I'm sure you can have a civil meal before we do anything further." The man insisted.

"I'm not hungry."

"Well, how about some conversation? How about we start off with names"

"You already know my name."

"How very observant of you, yes, well my name is Saix." The man rose from his chair and picked up an apple from the table absentmindedly as he approached the perfectly still teen, "You wish to get started on removing your pain then?"

Sora made no response. Saix thought it would be amusing to throw the apple at the boy, it was unlikely he would catch it, amusement is hard to find but braining a teen with a piece of fruit would definitely get a chuckle out of him. He quelled the urge to hurl the apple and instead pressed a sharp fingernail into the soft skin and watched how Sora's eyes were instantly drawn to the fruit as the sweet juice sprang forth and ran down his finger, dripping off his hand.

"Do you know how to get rid of pain?" Saix asked conversationally.

"If I knew that, I wouldn't be here."

Saix snorted, the boy became more and more amusing as he spent more time with him, "True. I wonder if you can handle what we're going to do though." He took a bite out of the apple and swallowed it as he spoke slowly, "I also wonder… why you trust us so unconditionally."

"I have nothing left to lose. Even if you do abuse my trust and do something unspeakably horrible to me, I wouldn't care."

Saix placed the fruit on the table and gave a wry smirk, "That's good. Your indifference makes me think that maybe you can handle this."

Sora stayed silent but followed Saix as the other indicated and they left the pristine white room. It was as white as every other room he'd been in so far and Sora hated it. Sora remembered vaguely that he never used to hate anything.

_Times change. People Change._ A voice in his head pointed out.

That voice was suddenly pushed aside as a bigger, and much darker, voice rose from within him. _Yes, people change. Axel changed. Axel has always been there and when you needed him most he wasn't there for you. He and Kairi both told you Riku was dead, but you knew he wasn't and then the letter. Maybe they weren't lying but they weren't even caring about it. Axel told you to shut up. _

Please shut up, Sora begged the voice. It wasn't the face Sora was projecting; it was the real Sora, the one that still prayed Riku was alive and believed he was.

_Oh, I have a better one! Other than people changing; People DIE. People will come and go and no matter how much you love them or beg them to stay, they will leave. You are at the center of no ones world. Not even Riku's. The man who claimed to love you left you without that mouse even having to say more than 'go'. _The voice sneered.

That's not true! Sora cried, his inner voice was crying but the other voice was stronger and prevented him from having control.

_You know it is. You feel it deep down. You do otherwise I wouldn't be here._ It explained triumphantly.

Whether the claim was true or not, Sora had no reply and cried as he felt the voice that appeared to be a darker part of himself take over. He watched in the back seat as HE replied to Saix. HE looked around and HE agreed to getting rid of his pain.

Riku! Save me! Sora cried out, he hated he couldn't even overcome himself but he wouldn't deny the fact that he needed help.

* * *

"Sir?"

"What is it Saix?" The elder asked wearily, he was having too much fun now that his plan was coming together as one to be pestered by annoying subordinates.

"Sir… we cannot take Sora to see Riku until Sora is definitely under our control, even then there is the risk he will snap out of our control."

"What makes you say this?"

"His love for the keyblade master is stronger than we thought. His light is weak and easily succumbs now that he believes Riku dead, but should he discover the truth… well, it could destroy all of this."

"You believe his heart that strong?"

"No, I believe his love that strong."

The elder man snorted, "I would never have thought you to be a romantic, much less poetic, man."

Saix growled,"You know what I mean, Xemnas."

* * *

"What do you want now?" Riku groaned as Xemnas entered the shadowy dungeon, the cell completely sealed except from one side that allowed in light through thick iron bars.

Xemnas didn't need to go in, but he loved delivering bad news and watching the receivers face turn to horrification. It just made his day, and to watch the famed keyblade masters face contort in pain as he delivered a crushing blow… well that was just priceless.

"Can't I visit?" Xemnas asked with badly feigned innocence, "Besides, you'll like the news I bring." Riku gave a grunt and glared up at Xemnas, "Sora's here."

Those two words went through Riku like knife. His eyes widened and he felt his stomach requested release from his body as he realized what that entailed, "…w-where is h-he?" he wasn't above begging a man he hated for Sora.

Xemnas grinned delightedly at the pained expression, "He's here, he doesn't want to see you though. He may come and see you later if I ask him _nicely_… but right now… I think he _really_ doesn't want to see you."

Riku broke into a snarl; adrenaline conceived energy flowing through him as he rose upright and pulled against his chains animal-like, "You bastard! What have you done with him?! I want to see him! Let me see him now!" He struggled futilely to break the bounds and wrap his hands around the other's throat, silencing Xemnas once and for all.

"I don't think you are in any position to be making demands." Xemnas observed and placed a boot against Riku's chest, slamming him back into the wall with a firm kick, "Besides, even if Sora did want to come, can you honestly say you deserve to see him after you left him?"

"I was still in contact with him! I sent him letters!"

"And you think that makes up for it? You think a letter is as good as a kiss hello or a kiss goodnight? You think a letter will keep him warm at night or safe during the day? Because if it were to keep him safe, then it failed abysmally." Xemnas grinned, "Sora doesn't want to see you, accept that."

Riku hung his head and vaguely acknowledged the slam of the cell door and the return to his loneliness. Did he deserve to see Sora?

* * *

"Sora, I want you to stand here." Saix pointed to the spot beside him. Sora obeyed and Saix moved away, teleporting to the open balcony above the circular room in which they were stood, "I am going to begin now." The pointy-eared man decided that was as much explanation as the brat was going to get and flexed his fingers.

He stretched his arms down at his sides and pushed his chest forward as thrust his arms up into the air. Sora regarded him with a blank expression but wearily watched as the white floor beneath his trainers erupted into Darkness. It flew up around him, pulling at his clothes and skin. It left him feeling oddly empty, Sora almost laughed, as if he didn't feel empty already. He stood perfectly still and strangely calm as the tendrils of pitch black squirmed up his body and enveloped his whole.

Saix smirked as he regarded the black shape that morphed into a casing that held Sora completely still at his shoulders and shrank back from his face. The black Darkness pulsated and hardened until Sora was encased wholly except for his head. The elder said nothing as he made his way from the room, the door giving a 'click' sound as it shut behind him.

* * *

"Mr.Xemnas!" Axel cried, banging on the door and practically crying as he begged fro the door to open, "Mr.Xemnas!"

He'd been calling and banging on the door for the teacher for a long time, about ten minutes. He couldn't waste anymore time, not with Roxas in such pain. He'd just replace the door later. He didn't even need to concentrate as his hand erupted into flames and pushed it through the door like a hot knife through butter. It melted like sludge and congealed at his feet; he ignored it, extinguished his hand and presumptuously entered.

Axel nearly made an undignified squawk of surprise as he spied the flat's contents. But that was just it; there were no contents. There wasn't a single thing in the flat. Just wash white walls and a beige carpet. He went further in tentatively, his fingers lighting in small flames as he explored. The kitchen was empty, no appliances or even any food. The living room and bathroom was just as useful. He tried the handle on the bedroom but it was locked.

There were two options open to him; either bust down the door and possibly walk in on two of his teachers having sex (Mr.Xemnas and Mr.Saix were famous for that) or wait and cause Roxy more pain. Axel swallowed uncomfortably as he decided Roxas was more important than his mental health.

He passed his hand through the wood like the front door and it parted just as the first had. He held his hand up as a source of light as he walked in. There weren't any embarrassingly positioned teachers, or even a bed inside. There was a computer. And that was it. Just a big computer. Axel stared at it a moment as his mind tried to comprehend what the hell was going on, he failed miserably but he did realize that the only person that had any knowledge on Dark Powers and could possibly help Roxas was gone.

Axel could only think of one thing to say, "Fuck."

* * *

It began to rain.

* * *

Whoot! review me or leave Sora in the perverted clutches of the mysterious Saix. yes, i know he was a teacher in the first few chapters, there is a method to my madness!

Akaiba.


	9. Dying Whispers

Whoot! I am slowly realizing I ahve nearly no control over this story, its all dictated by Sora's mood. Stupid little adorable boy, but I think I may stick with my ending, so those of you who don't liek tragedy, I apologise. If you write me lots of reviews, I may include another chapter at the end of the acctual story sort of like on DVD's where there's an alternate ending. But only if you review me and love me. Lol, enjoy.

**Dying Whispers**

"When will he awaken?"

"Soon…"

* * *

_Sora?

* * *

_

Sora felt himself shut off from even being able to look through his own eyes, even as the entity that he refused to acknowledge as part of himself had taken control, he knew that he might have been able to regain himself. But he hadn't, he'd watched and screamed unheard as his body was wrapped in darkness and the icy tendrils sought out his heart, buried within his chest.

_Have you decided whether you're going to give up or not, yet?_ The bored entity asked, as if it had all the time in the world.

No, never. Riku's alive and I'm going to find him, Sora said with confidence he didn't have.

_Intriguing assumption you have there. You believe Riku is alive when all other evidence is to the contrary, do you know he's alive or are you just stupid?_

I'm not stupid, I know he's alive. I can feel it.

_Wishful thinking more like. _Sora was about to protest but the voice overrode him, _I don't mind what you do, if you choose to defy me indefinitely, you will only hurt yourself. The bigger part of you has already given in and you are only a faint shimmer of light in an otherwise darkness. You make your light with your imagination. Could you bare it if I took that away too?_

Sora was speechless, I… I… I am not imagining. I can feel him, his heart next to mine like he always said…

_But that's just it, isn't it… Riku says and you listen, he commands and you obey, he challenges and you concede. There is nothing you wouldn't do for him, the same can be said for him… when the circumstances are perfect and he feels it will benefit him in the long run._

Sora tried his damnedest to cover his ears that weren't even their, anything to block out the voice, then suddenly something dawned on him, you… you said-

_If he feels he can get a good fuck-_

- You keep saying-

_- Your just an easy, willing target with nothing more to offer him than your body._

You keep referring to him in the present tense! Sora cried triumphantly.

_What?!_

He 'can', he 'says', he 'commands', he 'feels'! You're lying to me! He's alive! Sora screamed at the voice, oddly quiet to what it had been a moment ago.

_... You are so stupid. If you are going to insist on this, I am going to have to get rid of you._ The voice said darkly, it's tone so empty and chilling it made Sora shudder.

Before he could even ask what that meant, he felt something grip him and pull him by his stomach back, back and down as though he were falling. But there was nowhere to fall to, just an endless void, he could feel cold all around him, pulling him further down. He ignored it and held the fact Riku was alive close to his heart.

* * *

_Sora? Please answer me…

* * *

_

"Rox… please say something…" Axel pleaded, his hand dabbing the wet cloth over the blonds' brow.

"C-cold… s-so c-cold…" Roxas shivered and his body trembled as he pulled the blanket closer around his form. His lips were blue and his body spasmed as though in shock. Axel's mouth parted in confusion.

"Your temperature is through the roof!" He looked over to where Namine and Marluxia were working on the computer, they'd brought Roxas to the abandoned apartment in case he could help them, Namine had figured Roxas' behavior was due to his link with Sora and through him they might be able to find the brunet, "Found anything you two?"

Namine never took her eyes off the screen as she read fast from where she stood behind the chair Marluxia was sat on typing," Yeah, there's a lot of creepy stuff on here… all about you, the Children of Darkness, I mean." Marluxia opened a file labeled 'Flurry of Dancing Flames' and a page popped up with a picture of Axel and a lot of information, "Axel, you're on here, just like everyone else who's come into their powers. I have no idea what this is for… but it's all very detailed."

"…That sick bastard." Axel growled, "He abused our trust and has stockpiled all of our personal information on a computer, what the fuck for?!" His attention was distracted as Roxas let out a small whimper, he gripped the blonds' hand tightly, "That fucker better not be responsible for this…"

Namine chewed her lip in concentration, "Maybe not for Roxas' condition… but maybe for Sora… and that's why Roxas is like this, he's feeling Sora's pain."

Axel's nearly choked as he realized something, "Does that mean… if Sora dies… will Roxas…" He couldn't finish.

Namine turned away from the computer to give him a sad, empty smile that told him all he needed to know. She didn't know. She turned back to the computer to see Marluxia open another file labeled 'Key of Destiny'. Both Namine's and Marluxia's mouths fell open, "…How the hell?" Marluxia frowned.

"What? What is it?" Axel asked from the floor, his eyes never leaving Roxas.

The pinket made an 'er' noise then said, "They knew about Roxas." He groaned, "They knew exactly when he came into his powers… date reads 4th of April 12:47. They have it down to minutes… this is scarily sick…" He opened a third file called 'Graceful Assassin' and saw himself. He shuddered and closed it, looking through more files. He came across one labeled unlike the others, no fancy codenames… just 'Witch'. He opened it curiously, "… oh God."

Namine froze and made to move back but her eyes couldn't leave the screen, "T-hat's m-me…"

"What?" Axel asked sharply, his head snapping up.

"They have Nami on file, she's marked as DORMANT but there's a timer in the corner. It reads-"

"I don't want to know!" The light blond cried, shying away from the machine and sinking to her knees.

Marluxia turned in the chair and lifted her up off the ground and into his arms, "Its okay, I won't tell, and I promise I'll help you, okay?" He kissed the top of her head tenderly, "Dark powers aren't that bad…" He conjured a pale yellow rose, free of thorns and placed it in her hair, "Don't worry."

She nodded slowly, her hand half raised to touch the flower but content to let it be as Marluxia went back to the computer, refusing to let her go and keeping her settled in his lap.

* * *

_Please don't leave me… Sora…_

* * *

Saix sat upright suddenly, his eyes darting to the door, wide-eyed and tensed. 

"Is he ready?"

The bluet gave Xemnas a half-amused look, "You sound as though you're waiting for a cake." He rose from his seat and went into the room he had left Sora in a few hours ago.

The doors opened with a 'shick' and he peered into the usually light room which was filled with completely black smoke and almost impossible to see through as he entered. He walked slowly, giving the smoke time to dissipate as he looked to where he thought the center of the room was and where he'd last seen the boy.

A silhouette, darker than the smoke that surrounded it, approached Saix, its eyes glowing yellow in the gloom. It regarded him blankly but came to stand before him. Saix nearly let out a manic giggle as he stared down at the newly transformed Light. Sora's eyes were blue in the light but completely yellow in darkness, his clothes were like an all in one suit that clung to his muscles tightly like a second skin and left nothing to the imagination, the dusty brown skirt that hung at his hips, platform shoes and color changing clothes made Saix grin even wider. The boy looked delectable…

* * *

_I need to say I'm sorry... Sora...

* * *

_

"He is ours."

Xemnas couldn't stop the self-satisfied grin that one wears when they know they're winning from spreading over his tanned face, "Good."

"We can finish the keyblade master." Saix said, he lounged against a wall but he kept a close eye on the subject of their conversation who was stood before the throne-like seat in which Xemnas reclined, "I assume you want that?"

"Yes."

"Well then. As promised, he is ready to face him. He will not slip from our control." Saix leered at the boy in the center of the room, "And then he is completely ours to do with what we will." He mused for a moment, "His link to the keyblader was strong, we may be able to abuse that and generate a dark keyblader."

"You are certain he can't break our control?" Irritated at the attention Saix was lavishing on the teen and trying to draw it back to himself, "If there is a mistake…"

Saix shot the older man a glare, "I have given him a full scan." _I'll bet you have_, thought Xemnas, but he allowed the other to continue, "His heart his tightly sealed and locked. It would take a miracle to unseal it. And by that I mean it is damn near impossible."

Xemnas gave him a look. A mysterious look that Saix just put down to disbelief, it was in fact jealousy. He was jealous. He gritted his teeth and looked away from Saix and to the teen who had stood perfectly still under their scrutinizing gazes and analytical words. _At least he's obedient_, Xemnas grudgingly admitted to himself.

Turning his attention off both male's, he looked around at the chairs surrounding the circular room, each facing inwards and forming a circle within the room, soon they would be filled, "…They found the computer." The tanned man said nonchalantly, his amber eyes looking bored as observed Saix out the corner of his eye.

Saix said nothing for a moment then took a deep breath, 'You wish me to go and collect them?"

The elder snorted, 'you know as well as I that those children have developed minds of their own, you will not be able to just walk in and collect them so easily, not now that they know we have been following their every movements, even if they do not understand why." Xemnas rubbed his chin thoughtfully, then his gaze fell onto Sora, "…no, you'll need a much more… _cunning _plan…"

* * *

Naww, who's been calling out all the way through? I think we all know. I'm so obvious sometimes its almost pointless... neway, REVIEW AND LUFF ME!!! I am working on another AMV for this story, should be up on youtube fairly soon. I'll tell you about it in the next update. 

Sora: -huggles pillow- I'm cold...

Riku: I can fix that...

Akaiba xx


	10. The Darkest Blade

Yet another update! Whoot! oh, and that AMV i promised is up; search Zukoforever and its the one called Kingdom Hearts: Gravity of Love (RxS). Hope you like it. REVIEW ME!

* * *

**The Darkest Blade**

"His fever won't break!" Axel cried, panic setting in as he watched sweat pour off Roxas.

The younger teen was held tightly in the elder's arms but his face was pale, his lips tightly drawn and his eyes half-closed as if he was slipping into sleep or unconsciousness. But something wouldn't let him, it had been keeping him awake for hours now and Axel could clearly see the pain his lover was in.

Namine wet another towel, dabbing it over Roxas head but to no avail. Marluxia ran into the room with the rest of their friends. Demyx already had tears streaking his face at the mere implication one of his friends was in pain. There were people that Marluxia knew and Axel had greeted but never befriended, but they all had come to try and help Roxas. They all shared a common bound; Darkness. As much as all of them resented being labeled 'dark' or 'evil' they were a kind of family and had come as soon as Marluxia had told them.

A blonde haired girl knelt opposite Axel and brushed a few hairs out of Roxas' face, her blue eyes scanning the boy's appearance as another man joined her.

He spoke to Axel in a high-ish voice for a male but he seemed to know what he was doing, "I am Vexen, this is Larxene, "He gestured to the woman. The introductions stopped as Roxas arched off Axel's lap, his face contorted in pain and a silent scream, "Zexion! Help me here!" Vexen cried over Roxas' yell.

A lilac haired man with black eyes and hair that flipped over most of his face approached swiftly, he took one look at Roxas and the cold expression softened instantly, "…he's failing."

"That's not what we need to hear!" Axel yelled.

Zexion ignored the harsh and screamed tone; another man came to his side and rested a hand on the smaller man's shoulder, "What's wrong with him, Zexion?"

"Nothing, Xaldin. It's not his pain he's feeling."

"…it's Sora's; isn't it." Nami said softly.

Zexion frowned as he concentrated on what he could remember of the bubbly brunet so much like Demyx, "…it would seem so, yes."

"How do we fix it?!" Axel demanded.

"The easy solution would be to find Sora and end his pain. Roxas wouldn't die if Sora died, in the worst case scenario, their bond is strong from what I can sense, but not that strong." He frowned further, "It's more brotherly than anything else…"

"Zexy… how do we help him?" Demyx asked softly, gripping the elder male's upper arm loosely in helplessness.

Before Zexion had a chance to reply, another voice replied, "_You_ can do nothing. But I might be able to help."

Everyone's head snapped to look in the doorway of the bedroom to see Sora watching them with an almost bored expression. No one was paying him that much attention though, Luxord was the first to speak, "Where have you been?! Everyone's been very worried, and something your doing is nearly killing Roxas!"

Laxeaus rested a hand on the blonds' shoulder, "Don't yell at him." He turned to Sora, "But, where _have_ you been?"

Sora made no reply and instead approached Roxas, his steps slow and uncaringly made as he came closer. Zexion frowned; this was not the Sora he'd seen playing with Demyx in their garden, it didn't smell like Sora either.

Demyx saw the flash in Zexion's eye, "Zex-" Zexion silenced him with a quick glance.

Sora ignored them and stood over Axel and Roxas, the first of which watched him desperately, hope etched into his face. The brunet looked at Roxas once then moved to leave when suddenly his knees bent and he staggered. Everyone moved to catch him when Sora froze again. He seemed to struggle with himself as he spoke through gritted teeth.

"Help… me!" Sora begged.

Everyone present stared at Sora, their eyes wide and mouths open. The brunet suddenly stood upright and gave the assembled group an irritated look, "…help me… help him." Sora said slowly, gradually becoming more confident with his words, "Help me to help him."

Zexion frowned even harder, the person before them was not Sora, but when he had first said 'help me' the brunet's familiar scent had returned full force as though Sora was there but not there. It was giving the lilac haired man a headache but he spoke anyway, "…and how do we do that?" He paid no mind to the fact he was losing feeling in his arm that Demyx insisted on squeezing.

"Yeah, Mr.Xemnas and Mr.Saix aren't here." Demyx pointed out, childishly adding his two pence.

Namine slowly began to speak, eyeing Sora wearily, his clothes appeared normal, a little torn but normal. He had a pale complexion which was unusual for Sora, his eyes seemed to be darker and if she hadn't immediately put it down to stress and worry, she could have sworn his eyes occasionally looked yellow in the gloomy room, "… plus they've been keeping files on us. They know everything about us almost. Every single Child of Darkness that exists on this island is documented, even me. And I haven't got mine yet."

Sora didn't seem fazed by this. She frowned, a look to match Zexion's own skillfully crafted one that hadn't left Sora. Had she told Sora she was a Child of Darkness yesterday, he would have bounced up and down and hugged her, squealing the entire time because he had always looked on the bight side and viewed their dark powers as 'cool'.

"I know how to help Roxas, but… it will need every single persons help."

* * *

Saix smirked as they all filed out of the apartment building, the short-tempered redhead leading them behind Sora and carrying a shuddering blond in his arms. _The little brat did it…_

He held his hand out to Sora, Sora took it and stood beside the elder who addressed the eleven others and a girl he knew as Namine and was of no importance who were crowded before him. He fought hard to keep the smug grin from his face as he tried to act as though he was concerned for Roxas, "There is only one way to help him. You must each give part of yourself to him, your love and compassion and help him recover."

"So you know what is wrong with him?" Zexion asked suddenly. Saix immediately decided he hated him.

Damn, he hadn't thought that far into the lie. Sora had been much easier to convert. He paused and then spoke slowly, as if he didn't expect any one of them to understand, "It is a matter of the heart; no one can label or understand them fully. But he will need you to be strong for him." Saix resisted the urge to snort and the complete bullshit he was spouting.

Sora remained silent at his side and looking every bit the mourning friend, he was, however, just completely emotionless. Deciding to move things along, Saix summoned a dark portal and indicated to it, "This leads to where we can fully restore Roxas, his heart will need mending. It shouldn't hurt at all." _Heh, I'm a good liar, _He thought to himself, a hand resting on Sora's shoulder and pulling the unresisting brunet closer and gently running a finger down the burnet's cheek as the last of the others steeped through. _I'm a good liar with a new toy…_ He grumbled when he realized there was no time. But, oh, he'd make it later.

* * *

The eleven of them once again stepped through the portal and into a completely circular room, seats lining the wall and all facing inwards. They were raised above the center and it looked as if the room was some sort of conference room, each chair placed specifically to intimidate as much as possible. Axel snorted; he really was suffering from lack of sleep. 

"Please, take a seat." Sais removed Roxas from Axel's arms, the redhead begrudgingly letting him go.

Namine refused to sit while the others began to choose. There was already someone sat down, their hood up and ignoring everyone in the room. Saix set Roxas down in the center of the room, laying him flat on the gleaming floor as Xigbar took his seat, Xaldin next. Vexen sat beside the dark-haired man and cast a worried glance over at Roxas. Lexaeus was next to find a seat he thought worthy of him. Zexion scowled at Saix and then flopped into a chair. Demyx cast a worried glance at Axel who wasn't even concentrating. Saix took his seat quietly as Axel and Demyx took theirs, Demyx sitting himself between Zexion and Axel so he felt relatively safe. Luxord cast a weary glance over everyone and sat himself down. This felt incredibly bad and wrong, but there was nothing they could do to help Roxas by themselves, so this was their only other option.

Marluxia held out a hand to Namine but the blond shied away from it. He made to go to her when Larxene gripped his arm tightly, her eyes distant, and pulled him to a seat. She forced him down and then took her own seat. Namine looked round at them all; she felt in heart that this was entirely wrong. She cast a desperate look over at Sora but he wasn't looking at her. He was staring intently at nothing and seemed perfectly happy to continue on doing so.

"Wait!" Namine cried, all eyes bar Roxas and Sora's turned to her, "H-how can we trust you? We found files on your computer, files on all of us."

Zexion blinked, how come he'd been stupid enough to overlook that poignant detail? Everyone else appeared to be realizing that too, it seemed they'd all forgotten. They looked to Saix who rolled his eyes and groaned in annoyance, "Why is she being difficult?" He asked the hooded man.

"Because her powers are still dormant." The man replied, "She will not succumb without brute force, which I feel is unnecessary. We can find a use for her later."

Everyone froze as they slowly realized what was being said, but then it was too late, Xemnas raised his hand and flippantly fired a burning black and white shot at her from his hand and she flew back into the wall, her head smacking off it loudly. Everyone instantly made to get out of their seats when Saix snapped his fingers. Black, mysterious bonds that didn't seem to be made of anything usual burst from the seats they were sat in and pinned them down firmly, their wrist and ankles held unrelentingly.

"Let go of me you sick fuck!" Marluxia cried, "You could have killed her! Namine!"

She was barely conscious but she looked up, slowly making her way to her feet at his cry, "M-Marly… I-I'm o-okay…: She stammered.

"Let me go or I will rip you a new ass hole! Namine, don't move, just don't move, I'll fix this!" He cried, but his words were unheard by the blond as the hall rose into a cacophony of indignant outcries and shrieks, screams and hurled insults.

Saix sniggered and gave Sora a nod of his head. Obediently, the brunet faded back and flickered from his place, in an instant he was behind Namine, one hand at her wrists holding her still and the other wrapped around her slender neck. He didn't move, neither did anyone else, there was a sharp intake of breath from the eleven who were strapped in their seats.

"One word and he'll do it." Saix warned, "So, I suggest you behave."

Everyone fell still and looked at the blue-haired man. He reclined in his chair and the hooded figure through back his hood leisurely, the black material falling away to reveal silver hair.

"Xemnas," Zexion spat, "I should have foreseen this plot twist." He glared at the elder, "The only two on Destiny Islands who know anything about dark powers and you are the two behind whatever crap this is."

"And yet you feel right into my trap, Cloaked Schemer…" Xemnas smirked as he spoke the hidden name.

The effect was instantaneous, Zexion fell still, his shoulders relaxing and he slumped in his chair, his hair masking his face and his breathing shallow. Demyx gasped, "What did you do?! Zex! Zexion! Wake up!"

"Melodious Nocturne…" Xemnas intoned in an almost bored voice. Demyx followed Zexion's lead and collapsed in his chair. Immediately, the others began to yell and panic, their voices carrying through the silent room, "Freeshooter… Whirlwind lancer… Chilly Academic…" Xigbar, Xaldin and Vexen fell too; their bodies akin to the dead and nothing could wake them from their trance.

Larxene roared in rage, "Let us go you fuck!" She struggled violently against the bonds.

"Namine! Sora let her go!" Marluxia was still focused on the hand poised threateningly around his new love's throat. Focusing desperately he tried to use his powers; nothing happened, "Oh fuck! Larx', our powers don't work!"

"I know, I've tried that already!" She glared back at Xemnas and Saix. "You won't win! I won't allow it! Quickly, everyone shout fro Sora!"

"He won't hear you..." Saix said smugly.

"He might! Sora!" She screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Savage Nymph…" Xemnas replied to her scream.

"Sora! Wake up! Help us! Sora!" Axel shouted.

"Flurry of Dancing Flames…"

"Wake up, Spiky!" Laxeaus hollered.

"Silent Hero…"

"Sora!" Marluxia and Luxord cried as one.

"Graceful Assassin… Gambler of Fate…"

The room fell silent, only echoed by Namine's heavy breathing as Xemnas turned his attention to the final person lying sprawled on the floor, his hair spiked outwards, barely conscious, "Key of Destiny…"

Roxas' body fell limp and the room resembled something out of Sleeping Beauty when the castle was placed under a spell, the inhabitants cursed to sleep a hundred years. And they would indeed sleep for a hundred years and more, nothing could awaken them but the Superior. The aforementioned 'Superior' surveyed his work, Saix at his shoulder as they both stood from their chairs and approached the floor, "I think we're ready…"

Saix nodded and they both raised their hands, each crying out for Kingdom Hearts, "Kingdom Hearts bestow us the power to achieve our goals! Give us the power we seek! Give us the keyblade! Give us a keyblade to use for evil!"

Saix knew as well as Xemnas this would never have worked with just anyone, they were counting on the heart hidden away in Sora's own to bring forth the keyblade from within, with just a little nudge from Kingdom Hearts and the culminated force of the Children of Darkness. White light sprang from each Child, rushing upwards to culminate far above their heads, growing and growing until it pulsated with energy from each Child. Instantly it reached fullness, it shot a beam straight at Sora; it struck him full in the chest, knocking Namine to the side and all of the energy spreading through his body.

Sora didn't even flinch. He glowed white for a few moments as the energy settled within him. It went into Riku's heart, within Sora's. It delved into the farthest part of the heart and found that deep within the darkness, there was a light glimmering at it. It shot straight for it. It wasn't what Xemnas and Saix wanted, but they'd be none the wiser for a while.

Sora blinked and flexed his hands, his right arm thrown out and clenched as a heavy weight was summoned into his palm. Xemnas and Saix grinned.

"We can finish with the other keyblader now." Xemnas declared.

* * *

_Sora! Please… please let me see him one last time…

* * *

_MWAHAHAHAAAA!!!! I am evil in the worst form... are they all dead? Now that Sora has their energy? Or was that Sleeping Beauty reference more than a glimpse of my insanity? Who knows! Maybe I'm just spouting random stuff to give you a headache! Mwahaha!!! REVIEW AND LUFF MEH!!! Akaiba xxx 

Sora: I am an evil boy!!!

Riku: (leer) Naughty boy...

Sora: Eeeps!

Yes, even Dark Sora is afraid of Riku's libido...


	11. Hallowed Darkness

I apologize, this took me far longer than I thought. It took me a very long time tog et the lemon right and then I needed a nice way to end it. Which didn't happen, it doesn' really haev much of a clifhanger, just sorta ties up a few loose ends and now we're ready to get on with it. Close to the ending now. I may do a sequel, if this gets a good reception. The ending will be sad, but with a faint sorta... 'hand on a minute' feeling. I dunt even know what I'm saying anymore... those of you who understand, good for you, those who don't I'm with you so don't worry. I'll figure it out...

**Hallowed Darkness**

There was a clang against the cell door. Riku lifted his head painfully from where his chin had hit his chest. He lacked the energy to do much more than hang off the wall by the heavy chains that held him by his wrists from the cold wall behind his back, he winced at the pain it cost him just to open his eyes as the cell door creaked open.

Xemnas walked in, there were nothing but shadows in the room except for a shaft of light that came through the ceiling and struck the floor. The lack of light meant nothing, just by the way the outline moved Riku knew it was Xemnas, over the past few days he'd grown to recognize the man much to his annoyance. There were two other figures but Riku couldn't even begin to guess who they were. Xemnas stepped into the light and Riku was greeted by silver hair, darker than his own and amber eyes that relished his defeated appearance. Although Riku proudly maintained an air of defiance as he looked up at the man.

"Am I to assume you have come for another chat?" Riku hissed in a low, hoarse voice. He wanted to pull a face at the awful sounds he made but he hadn't had a drink in a long time, who was he to blame? He happily ignored the other two figures that hadn't approached the light yet.

Xemnas gave a wry smirk at that, Riku was an endless source of a amusement to him, "Oh no, I have no time for small talk when my plans are all coming together." He gave the silveret a pointed look, "I have brought you a visitor though… one whom, I'm sure, you will not be sorry to see…" Xemnas held his hand out to invite the other two figures into the light and beside him.

Riku watched as a blue haired man entered the light and had his hand on someone else's shadow. They were less hasty in their approach and Riku saw only their shoes and hands as they were enticed into his vision. Riku gasped.

Sora stood before him. His eyes nearly burst as they took in everything they could, everything that they could see of Sora, Riku's surprise soon became anger as he saw Sora fully. His face was pale, scarily pale, his eyes dim and hollow. Sora's clothes were all black streaked with purple and blue and entirely to revealing, Riku glared at the blue-haired man who was running a sultry finger down the unresponsive brunet's neck, his lips close to Sora's cheek.

Riku growled, "Sora! What the fuck are you doing?! Get the fuck off him!" The man ignored Riku and ran his tongue down Sora's cheek and over his ear, "WHAT THE FUCK?!" Riku froze, "MR.SAIX?!"

The blue-haired man straightened and threw him a smug grin, "Indeed."

"What have you done to Sora?!"

* * *

_Sora!

* * *

_

"Nothing he didn't want." Saix retorted.

"True, Sora came to use willingly, his heart broken in two at the news of your death… I must say it was unbelievable how quick everyone was to assume you dead with just a few well placed letters…" Xemnas smirked.

"You… you told everyone I was dead?!" He slumped against the wall behind him and breathed softly, "… and Sora believed it…"

"Not at first… in fact he gave us quite a fight, but who can really put up a fight when Darkness has them held tightly, not to mention they're all alone… because they've been abandoned by everyone and everything." Xemnas snorted, "No wonder he was so easy to turn, he had nothing left to lose…"

* * *

_Sora! I know you're there! Talk to me!

* * *

_

"Maybe if you'd stayed with him… he wouldn't be our new pet." Saix grinned lecherously.

Riku had no reply to that, his mouth opened to defy but the words and self-righteous lines King Mickey had fed him were so empty and hollow when he was faced with the repercussions of his actions towards his lover.

* * *

…_Riku?…

* * *

_

Riku's eyes widened in surprise but no one saw as he had has head hung, he shot a glance to Sora. He was still stood still, perfectly unmovable and completely unresponsive but Riku knew he had heard him reply.

* * *

_Sora?!_

_Riku?_

_SORA! YOU'RE OKAY!_

_RIKU! YOU'RE ALIVE!

* * *

_

Riku was distracted as he caught Sora move out the corner of his eye, the brunet's lifeless eyes blinked as the dull gray-blue was renewed with energy and a vibrant cerulean was turned to stare at Riku in shock. Riku offered a weak smile.

Xemnas saw the smile, "What, may I ask, do you have to smile about?"

Riku's grin was kept perfectly in place as he replied, his eyes never once leaving Sora's until he couldn't resist a little retribution, "It amuses me, that you have out all your faith and plans towards a toy you actually can't fully control, if at all." He grinned brightly at Xemnas who was caught completely off guard.

Before he could reply, Saix gasped and a pained noise left his mouth as both silver-haired men turned to see what had happened. Xemnas mouth fell open, so did Riku's. _Mental note; never, ever take eyes off Sora from now on_, Riku thought with fright at the scene that greeted him as they looked on.

Sora's eyes were wide with anger and he was breathing heavily as he tightly gripped a dark version of the keyblade (Riku raised an eyebrow) that had embedded itself in Saix chest. He wanted to laugh at the sight, it was completely inconceivable that Sora had just killed someone and now that he was watching it, it seemed so bizarre.

"That…" Sora hissed, "Is for last night."

Both Riku and Xemnas gaped in horror as they realized what Sora had revealed. Neither wanted to know anymore but as Saix fell to his knees and Sora wrenched the blade from his chest with a sickening crunch, Xemnas realized he was probably next on Sora's hit list and bolted from the room, the cell door swinging on its hinges.

Riku hadn't quite recovered from the sight of Sora, _his_ Sora,_ his_ innocent Sora killing someone with barely a drop of a hat. Sora straightened from his fighting stance and looked at Riku. He gave a nonchalant slash of his blade and the chains around Riku were broken and fell to the floor with a clatter. The elder rose to his full height shakily, his stiff and sore muscles crying out in protest as he stretched and flexed life back into his body that had been cast prostrate for far too long.

Suddenly the wind was knocked from his chest as Sora through him against the wall, his fists holding Riku firmly to the stone, unrelenting in the surprising force Sora presented.

"S-Sora-" Riku began, trying to regain his breath.

"Shut up." Sora hissed.

"Sora?"

"I said shut up!" Sora roared, his eyes meeting Riku's, their depths irradiating anger and pain, hurt and hate as he looked at the face had longed to see for over a month.

Riku took the hint and closed his mouth at the sight of the enraged brunet. He knew what was coming and he knew that he deserved it, but that didn't make it any less frightening, especially seeing as now Sora was armed and apparently capable.

For a moment all either did was catch their breath, both needing to reenergize their bodies before either could even bring themselves to speak, then Sora growled, "You left me."

"Sor-"

"YOU LEFT ME! You bastard! You left me on the fucking island with nothing! I got a few letters and nothing more! Then I am told you're dead! How am I supposed to tell the truth from the lies when I honestly don't know!" Sora began to pound his fists against Riku's chest, uncaring of the painful gasps the elder emitted from his wounds, "I had nothing left to lose and so I gave in… and then you decide to show your fucking face!" The dark keyblade fell from his hand and clattered to the floor before vanishing in a white light, Sora ignored it, his attetnion focused solely on Riku.

Riku knew there was nothing he could say to ease Sora's pain, even if Riku couldn't do anything about half of the accusations, he knew he was guilty of everything that had happened to Sora, he was taking the implications of what Sora had said Saix had done rather hard. He brought his arms up and around Sora, pilling the brunet close to him and holding him tightly.

"I hate you!" Riku flinched, even if Sora didn't mean it as he was now crying into what was left of his armor and holding equally as tight, "I hate that fact that without you I have nothing! Without you I can't find anything to live for when you can just jet off to other worlds and leave me so easily!" Sora hiccupped a breath and muttered, "I hate that I am nothing without you…"

Riku closed his eyes and breathed in Sora's smell, the scent he had missed for far too long. He pressed his cheek against Sora's and sighed, "It may have seemed as though I have the strength to leave you so easily, but from the moment I did I was useless. I couldn't fight properly and kept getting wounded, I couldn't think properly and when the Heartless ambushed us I barely put up a fight as they brought me back here." Riku sighed again, "I am sorry for everything, and I can't say it enough and even if I could it would never make up for everything." He placed a tender kiss on Sora's temple as the brunet cried, "But I am so sorry…"

Sora wiped his eyes and looked at Riku, taking comfort from the face he remembered so well as it watched him sadly. In one swift movement, he rose upwards and crashed his lips into Riku's harshly. Caught completely off guard Riku let out a startled yelp as Sora roughly pulled him off the wall and shoved him onto the floor.

Riku was breathing hard as Sora descended upon him, their lips meeting again, this time Riku was ready for it and welcomed the smaller teen with his tongue and they battled furiously, the elder happy to let Sora dominate for a while. Their teeth meshed together, lips and tongues getting caught between the sharp bites they exchanged, moans and gasps piercing the air as Sora forcibly removed Riku's armor. The silveret was thoroughly turned on by the ferocity, dirty and sadistic Sora he was faced with; so much so he forgot about the body near them that was dissolving into nothing.

Dark particles swirled around them as Riku's chest was freed from clothing and Sora's belt skirt was discarded, the breeze the dissipating darkness created ignored but making both look more sexy in each others eyes, the whipping strands of hair that brushed Riku's chin as Sora nipped his way down to bite on one of his nipples giving him a clear picture of where Sora was as he couldn't open his eyes from the pain and pleasure Sora was giving him.

So unlike Sora, the brunet was biting his mark into Riku's chest as he worked with Riku's belt buckle. Growling in frustration when it refused to let go, Riku watched in peeked curiosity as Sora's hand morphed into a black claw and he slashed through the belt and through it aside. The outfit Sora wore seemed to be ingrained into him and try as he might, Riku couldn't find a hem to remove it. He growled at Sora and Sora smirked back, they were beyond words now, their minds and hearts so close that they could communicate their wants and needs with the briefest of signals. Darkness began to swallow Sora and Riku gasped in surprise, he was about to pull Sora out of it when it faded as fast as it had come to reveal a completely bare brunet still straddling him firmly.

Riku breathed a sigh of relief; he could question it later as long as Sora was safe now. Immediately Sora pulled off the dark trousers and lowered himself fully onto the creamy white skin before him. He ground his hips into the others, blissful friction eliciting sweet moans from both of them as their members rubbed. The brunet held on tightly as his body threatened to push over the edge. He tried to get Riku's attention but Riku's eyes were closed as he grunted in ecstasy.

He reached a hand to Riku's chin and forced the silveret to look at him, Riku complied as he opened his eyes, Sora breathed heavily, "Need… you… now…" Sora grunted.

Riku grinned and gladly did as was asked of him, lifting Sora off the floor to placed him down again on his back with Riku over him, he offered three fingers to Sora who wrapped his legs around the elder's waist and held the fingers in his mouth as his tongue swirled over the digits, a moan reverberating from Riku's fingertips and up through his arm as the smaller teen sucked hard on the fingers. Riku shivered with delight and encouraged Sora by stroking the pulsing cock pressed into his stomach. Sora hissed in pleasure against the hand.

Withdrawing the digits, Riku pressed a kiss to Sora's mouth which quickly heated as the brunet pulled Riku's tongue into his mouth, sucking on it lightly as a wet finger was inserted into his entrance and caused him to moan into Riku's mouth, saliva running down their chins as another finger was added and Sora rocked against them, picking up the pace as Riku pressed his prostate, the location never once lost to the elder. Sora groaned loudly and pressed harder onto the fingers as Riku stretched him widely. His member was aching for release and as he reached to stroke himself, Riku beat him to it and pumped the tanned boy's cock as he poised himself ready to enter Sora.

Drawing out the pleasure, Riku painstakingly slowed his hand movements as he also slowly pushed himself into Sora, the tip increasing in its progression until Riku was fully sheathed in the tight heat that never seemed to lessen each time, pulling out equally as slow and matching Sora's sadism as he watched the mentioned teen writhe in pleasure and sexual frustration. Riku didn't move as he drew back until only his head remained in Sora's ass, then he thrust quickly into Sora, his hand pumping hard and fast until Sora was seeing stars. He saw by the look on Sora's face he was close; Riku wrapped his hand around the head of Sora's cock and kept his thumb on it, refusing Sora release as he continued his masochistic thrusts, each one ending with a cry from Sora and a grunt from Riku.

"R-Riku!" Sora cried, "I-I'm…I n-need t-to…"

"Sssh…" Riku breathed between thrusts, "Just a little longer…"

Sora's ass clenched in desperation as Riku thrust in again, hitting his prostate as always and making the teens vision blur and swim in pleasure. Sora's walls tightened even further until Riku could barely move and then Riku felt himself slipping over the edge, his thumb moved and Sora breathed a sharp gasp as he shot and splattered both their stomachs and felt Riku fill him with his seed.

Riku collapsed.

* * *

Groggily, Riku opened one eye and realized he was moving. He opened both eyes wide in alarm as he looked around. Sora was holding him up with one arm holding his arm around his shoulder and another arm holding his waist and forcefully dragging Riku. The silveret was surprised at how strong Sora was, he wasn't that strong when he'd left…

He heard Sora snort a laugh, he turned his head to look at him slightly, "if you were so tired, you only needed to say so…" Riku blinked as memories slowly came back to him, he blushed as Sora continued, "Dressing you was the hard part. I suppose it was pretty silly of me to just jump you like that, I knew you were injured but I didn't care." Sora made a soft sort of noise that Riku couldn't place as meaning anything other Sora had a sudden urge to make that noise.

"Its okay, Sora. I wanted it just as much as you did." Riku grinned.

"I know. That's why I'm not going to say sorry. I think we both needed that." Sora gave Riku a cheeky grin and the continued walking… or being half-dragged…

"Where are we going?"

"To get Xemnas."

"What's happened since I've been away?" Riku sensed this would be a more logical place to start rather than piece it together from things that Sora gave him.

Sora frowned as he remembered, "After I went with Saix, something took over me. My dark self or something. It was me and yet… not me. Very confusing, either way I effectively took a back seat in my own body until it sealed me away; it locked me in your heart." Sora took a deep breath, "According to Xemnas and Saix, you had given your heart to me and that was why they couldn't turn you or kill you through the Heartless. Heartless go after one thing; hearts… funnily enough." Sora snorted. "Because you didn't have one in the metaphorical sense of it, they couldn't harm you. So the two of them decided to capture me, and use me to get to you. And it very nearly worked."

"Why didn't it? I can see no fault in their plan, other than it being sick and making me want them dead even more." Riku asked.

"The only way they could get me was if they subdued my faith in you. They convinced my mind that you were dead with a forged letter from Mickey and all our friends all saying the same thing, my heart wouldn't listen but they got me to come anyway. But when they brought me to see you, their intent on being to kill you, I was freed from your heart and my mind saw you; alive. I got control back and that's basically that. Although… they used the Children of Dark, all of our friends from the Island, to exploit the fact your heart was in mine and now I can use the keyblade as well."

"I was wondering if that was a black keyblade I saw or just a trick of the light… what's become of our friends?" The elder asked slowly, unsure if he really wanted to know.

Sora paused, his mouth open as he struggled with the right words to say, "They… I… I don't know. They are in the conference room but… they haven't moved since Xemnas and Saix took something from them and they won't even blink. Roxas was hurt to begin with, his link to me made him feel the pain I felt. I don't know what's happened to them, but we're going to get Xemnas to tell us and then we'll fix it."

Riku nodded, "Hey, how do you know where he is?"

"I can sense his power." Sora sighed, "To turn me they needed to submerge me in darkness, and even though I am not dark anymore it is unwilling to let me go. It would appear I am stuck like this." Sora hung his head in shame.

The elder nuzzled Sora's neck and kissed him gently, "Cheer up, I think its really hot. Especially your outfit… but you can only wear that with me. Besides, I thought you always wanted to be a Child of Darkness?"

Sora blushed and nodded, "I guess…" He paused a moment, "You really think this is hot?"

Riku nodded enthusiastically, "Damn right! Especially the dirty, badass personality it's bringing out in you." Sora grinned, "And those claws… speaking of which, where'd they come from?"

"Heh, well… I can change into another form. Saix nicknamed it Anti-Sora. It kinda fits; I turn all black and shadow like, sprout claws and my eyes turn yellow." Sora shrugged, "At least I can control it."

Riku nodded slowly in understanding, well… acceptance. He honestly had no idea what Sora might be feeling. Hardly surprisingly, Sora was biting his lip in fear of rejection and Riku not loving him anymore. He was beginning to understand what the Children of Darkness felt. Riku smiled warmly down at him, unaware of his lover's thoughts, and kissed him tenderly.

"I think I can walk…" Riku said softly as he tried to stand. He shook a little but was quickly matching Sora's pace.

* * *

MWAHAHAHA! Gotta wait til the next chapter to see what's gonna happen. Anyone really care whats gonna become of the Children of Darkness, and just what has become of Namine? Did Saix really rape Sora?! (may include rape/lemon next time , be warned) Is Riku really okay with Sora? What is going to become fo the Door to Light?

Akaiba xxx

Sora: I am a Heartless (RAWR!!)

Riku: Mmmm... (Grabs Sora)

Sora: (pout) FEAR MY ADORABLE SHADOWNESS!!!

Roxas: Ignore this part, Akaiba's just feeling bad about the ending and trying to make it up to you.

Axel: (glomps) ROXY! I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD!!!!

Roxas: WAH! (falls) Knock it off Axel! Akaiba, just end the damn chapter!

Akaiba: Okay...


	12. The Final Breath

Nearly the last chapter. I think there'll be one more. Maybe two, but hopefully one long one. I've good news and bad news. The bad news lies within this chapter so you can find that, but the good news is I have changed the ending and I MAY I repeat MAY do a sequel... not sure... but there will be a sorta happy ending... kinda... working on it!!!! there is a lot I have answered so there may be a sequel... or I could leave you wondering. Depends how many people leave me wonderufl reviews!!!!

* * *

**The Final Breath**

Sora leant close to the large white door, he knew it lead to the conference room but he wanted to be certain the power he sensed was Xemnas' and not something else. He inhaled softly and blanched suddenly; he covered his mouth and desperately tried to quell the rising urge to vomit. Riku was at his side in an instant, his hand on the smaller teen's shoulders and held him upright as the brunet began to sway.

"Sora…" He whispered, surprise was one of their ally's and they couldn't risk Xemnas finding them now, even if they would probably still win, "What's wrong…"

"I-I d-don't…" He grunted in pain and fought to keep his stomach contents where they belonged, "There's… something…" His mouth parted as if to yell but the sound caught in his throat and he didn't make a noise. His hands were shaking, "We…d-don't have time…for this…" He allowed a dark bubble to swallow him and he emerged in his anti-form, Riku recognized it from what Sora had described to him.

Sora was completely black, occasionally his skin shone blue in whatever light could penetrate the onyx color, the yellow eyes contrasting against the black sharply. Even his outfit had turned completely black, the skirt tinged blue-purple at the ends but Riku could still make out Sora's expressions even if it was slightly difficult.

The brunet sighed in relief as the pain he'd felt subsided and he could breath easily again. He had no idea where the pain had come from but he didn't let it bother him anymore as he faced the door again, his hand reaching for the handle when suddenly Riku's was on his own, their fingers laid over each other. Sora looked at Riku curiously but the silveret only gave him a soft smile and they both opened the door.

The conference room hadn't changed since Sora had last seen it. Their friends were still forcibly bound to the throne-like white chairs; Namine was slumped against the floor near Marluxia, her hand limp but outstretched towards her boyfriend. Sora looked at her guiltily. It has his fault she was out cold, he'd done just as Saix had asked and thrown her against the floor with all his force which was considerably more than human.

Riku seemed about to go to her, she was the nearest person he had access to, but Sora stopped him, "We can help them later." Riku nodded slowly and followed as Sora led the way to where he could sense Xemnas was hiding.

The silveret really wanted to help their friends first, but Sora seemed to know more about what was going on so he stayed one step behind the other as they approached a blank, white wall. The brunet paused before it and put a finger to his chin, letting out a soft 'hm' noise as he thought. He could sense something beyond the wall, but there was no door. Sora came to a simple conclusion. He lifted his hand and it morphed into a claw again as he dragged one claw down the white stone. A smirk tugged at his lips as the wall melted at his touch, pulling away from his hand and parting, allowing him and Riku entrance.

The elder raised his eyebrows in surprise, he looked at Sora who shrugged innocently, "If you haven't got a door; make one." The small teen replied to his unasked question.

Riku gave an agreeing shrug of one shoulder and then looked into the room Sora had bust into, "Couldn't you have just… opened a portal? Xemnas does it loads." Riku asked, remembering the times the man had just appeared in his cell and nearly given him a heart attack.

Sora grinned sheepishly, "Yeah… but this was more fun." Riku snorted.

They stepped into the dark room, immediately Sora's eyes turned yellow. Riku jumped, in the pitch black, all he could see were Sora's eyes and it was a little bit scary when he wasn't ready for it. His hand brushed Sora's and he laced their fingers together, the glowing eyes turned to him in questioning.

Riku let out a 'heh' as he blushed, "…I can't see in the dark."

The eyes moved as Sora nodded. The brunet gripped the hand in his and looked around; he could feel a trail in the air almost, leading him to where Xemnas was. He sniffed quietly and squinted as the trail he was following seemed to thicken. He pulled Riku sharply, tugging towards the concentrated scent.

His eyes narrowed as he caught a flash of movement, a streak of silver glinting as if it held light as something shot towards them. In one swift movement, Sora gripped the plate of armor on Riku's shoulder, the slash through the metal providing a handhold as he pushed them both away, back towards the other room as Sora tried to escape the path of whatever had charged them; Sora suspected strongly that it was Xemnas. He pushed Riku behind his small frame without a word and glared into the darkness.

"The great 'Superior' of the Children of Light, master of Kingdom Hearts and great warrior of Darkness can do nothing but hide in the shadows and try to beat a Shadow?!" Sora was deliberately taunting the man he couldn't pinpoint, the scent of the man was all over the place and Sora knew that neither of them could see Xemnas. Hoping to level the playing field he continued, "How the mighty have fallen… I wonder if you could face the light?"

Xemnas gave an evil laugh, it echoed off the walls and Sora got a brief image of the room as the sounds reverberated off the walls, a human shape blocked its completion; Sora's eyes turned to the corner of the room the shape was, Xemnas moved again. The air shifted grudgingly and Sora felt Xemnas rush towards them again, but this time Sora sensed what he was holding. Sora cried out and pushed Riku backwards and to the left, straight for the way they had come in. Riku was caught off guard and resisted in shock, Sora persevered with his newfound strength but not quick enough, the odd weapon Xemnas held outstretched to them sliced Sora across the arm.

Sora cried out again and gave Riku one final push and they burst from the darkness back into the white conference room, Riku staggering and Sora falling over as blood seeped from his arm. Riku went to help him when he saw the black shadow armor re-stitching itself and covering up the wound. Riku's eyes shot up to watch as Xemnas emerged from the hidden room.

"You're right, Shadow." The man smirked, "I do not need to exert myself or use clever attacks to overpower you. I made you, and the creation can never surpass the creator!" He ended his sentence with another lunge at Sora.

The knelt teen through his arms up and the Dark Keyblade appeared in his hands, he gritted his teeth as the force with which Xemnas had attacked was bore by the blade and threatened to push him even further to the floor. Riku growled, he summoned the Light Keyblade and ran towards Xemnas. The man leapt back, out of either boy's reach and stared at the blades each held.

"Oblivion and Oathkeeper…" He murmured.

Riku and Sora didn't reply; there was a time for everything but Sora doubted there would ever be a time for Xemnas' babble. The brunet receded into a dark bubble and emerged in his anti-form, his eyes were yellow again and narrowed in contempt at the man before them.

"You are going to fix what you have done to me and my friends!" Sora roared.

"I have done nothing to them, in fact, I think you should be more worried about yourself..." Xemnas sneered. Sora paused and looked at the man in confusion, "You can feel it, can't you? The way your heart runs from the darkness that has claimed you... it rejects you. Your heart turns away in disgust and leaves you in pain..."

Sora blinked as the truth of the words hit him, the pain he felt before he had entered the conference room was because his heart rejected his new body?

Xemnas grinned and shot into the air, hovering above them and out of reach as he laughed down at them, "Shadow of Sora… that is what I called you. I named you thus because what you gave in to was Darkness. You allowed it to swallow you whole. Do you know even why we chose you? Because you are a Light." Xemnas gave a smug and irritating smile down at the now growling Sora, "You _were_ a Light."

"What does that even mean?!" Sora spat.

"It means, my ignorant failure, that you were incapable of being touched or harmed by Darkness, but you even managed to defy that! Riku gave you his heart which was a wise move as it protected it and him from harm, but you were so overcome with grief that you allowed your Anti to emerge and take you over."

Sora froze, "…you mean… I put Riku in d-danger?"

"No. I mean you put everyone in danger." Xemnas snorted in amusement, "These people, "he gestured to the slumped figured in the chairs and Namine on the floor, "They are not only your friends, they swore to protect you and gave you themselves so that they would in turn be safe from the Darkness that birthed them. But you through yourself into Darkness and have now cost them all their lives."

"T-their dead?!" Sora gasped.

"You're lying, you bastard!" Riku yelled.

"Oh no, Keyblade warrior, I speak the truth. You are all linked to Sora and just as you and Roxas suffered pain, so would have everyone else had they been alive long enough." Xemnas readied his blade to dive at Sora, "And now there is nothing you can do but grieve for them!"

Sora wiped his eyes and leapt into the air, his blade aimed for Xemnas heart as he screamed, "I did not kill them! You did it! You took their life and you will pay!"

Riku gritted his teeth and leapt after Sora, their blades matching lunge for lunge, every one of Xemnas'. The clangs and sparks of metal on metal until it formed a set rhythm. Sora would spin, swinging his blade at Xemnas' head which would be deflected with an effortless parry, Riku's blade following for Xemnas' chest would be dodged with another parry and slide. Blocking any blow thrown at them from Xemnas they seemed matched in their strengths.

Down, far below their battle, on the floor crystal blue eyes flickered. Namine opened her eyes.

Sora felt Xemnas weapon catch his leg, he cried out and the man gripped his hair painfully, throwing him back down to the floor. Riku called out his boyfriend's name and dove after him; he caught the hurtling form and took the fall in his knees, bending expertly so he didn't harm himself or Sora. The brunet got out from Riku's hold and stood ready as Xemnas slowly descended to fight them, once more on the ground.

Namine turned her head, she could here fighting and Riku's voice… was Riku okay?

"Still think you stand a chance?" Xemnas sneered. Riku and Sora both gripped the Keyblade's in answer. Xemnas snorted and lifted his strange red weapons that looked like beams of light but cut like knives.

Namine pushed herself to a crouch on shaking arms, her vision slowly returning. Was that Mr.Xemnas?

Sora charged towards the man, his blade slowly curving round to be rebounded, the force of which pushed Sora back and onto the floor. His Keyblade skittered out of his hand, he was about to re-summon it when he saw Xemnas lift his own weapon, ready to impale Sora.

"Sora!" Riku cried, he darted between Xemnas and Sora just as the elder's weapon fell.

"RIKU!" Sora screamed, "RIKU NO!"

Namine blinked, her sight returning to show her Riku throwing himself between Mr.Xemnas and Sora as Mr.Xemnas' thrust his weapon forwards. It went straight into Riku's stomach.

"RIKU!" The blonde girl screamed. First she'd thought he was dead and know he really was, she really was losing her big brother figure and right before her very eyes.

Riku's eyes widened in agony, the Light Keyblade falling from his fingers to the ground, his hands curled around the blade in him as he looked down, a strange look of surprise on his pained face. Xemnas went to pull it, Riku gasped as the blade tore from him and he fell to his knees, his body hitting the floor with a 'thump'. Sora stared in horror at his friend and lover's body

Namine staggered to her feet and gripped the sketchbook she always had in her hands, she pulled it back in her hands and threw it as hard as she could at Xemnas, 'You BASTARD!" She screamed.

Xemnas didn't even get a chance to turn around before the sketchbook connected with his head and he lost focus for a few seconds. Seizing the chance, Sora summoned the Dark Keyblade back to him and lifted Riku's from the floor; he advanced on Xemnas just before the man regained sense of what he was doing again.

In a flurry of movements Sora swung both blades at Xemnas, throwing the man's body left, right and centre as the Keyblade's tore through his clothes and sliced his skin, blood arched out from each slash and sprayed outwards. Sora's eyes narrowed in anger as his attacks increased in ferocity, each digging deep. The brunet leapt backwards and landed beside Riku, who he was glad to see was still conscious and breathing. He paused to take a breath and then joined hands with the hand Riku offeredwith a wince, their fingers laced over the Light Keyblade, the tip of it pointed toward Xemnas who was struggling to stay standing.

Namine watched in awe as a light sprang from the teen's joined hands, it traveled down the length of the blade and shot at Xemnas. It struck him full in the chest, he gasped as he erupted in a flash of blinding light. The blonde girl shielded her eyes and felt her injuries catching up with her, overcome with the urge to sleep she fell to the floor on her hands and knees as the light blocked her vision. Sora let the Keyblade's go and shielded Riku from the harsh light, grunting as he felt his sight being stolen, Riku clung to Sora tightly, his breathing labored and erratic.

It abated after a moment and there was nothing left of Xemnas, just wisps of Dark particles winding there way out of the room and back to wherever they had come from. Sora held Riku tightly in his arms as he brushed silver strands from his lover's sweat-sheened brow, the brunet could see that Riku was struggling to breathe but he couldn't help him. He had once been able to use White Magic, but his entrance to Darkness had disabled that ability. He hadn't anything else either. Namine half-staggered half-crawled over to them, she was exhausted but her fear of losing two of her closest friends was keeping her alive.

"R-Riku…" She whimpered as she saw his profusely weeping wound, 'S-Sora…?" She turned to look at the other but his face was hidden beneath his hair.

He looked up slowly; she bit back the urge to wipe his face as she saw the tears running down his face, "N-Nami…?" He sighed heavily, "Nami… there's something I have to do…" He gently lowered Riku to the ground; it looked as though Riku wanted to say something but lacked the energy as he watched Sora move away.

He stood in the centre of the room and summoned a Keyblade. It was different from the one she'd seen him fighting with. He held it a moment before turning it around so it was pointed at his chest. Namine immediately made a noise of protest; he turned and gave her a half-smile.

"It's okay, Nami. I have to do this. I made this mess and I'll fix it." He gripped the blade tightly and whispered lowly, "I am a big boy; I can do things by myself…"

Namine watched; her mouth agape in horror but her muscles refused to respond as she saw Sora pull the blade into his chest, burying it deep within himself with barely a gasp escaping his lips. She stared in twisted fascination as the Keyblade began to glow, pulling back and re-emerging from Sora's chest with a sickening 'pop' noise. Again, Sora didn't make a sound.

The blade hung in the air poised as it was when Sora had pushed it in as something in Sora's chest began to glow a similar color to the Keyblade. It pulled itself from Sora's ribcage forcefully, this time Sora grunted and hissed as it freed itself. Namine choked as she realized what it was. He was pulling his heart out! She wanted to tell him he was mad, but as she watched, the glowing heart broke into various pieces, each shooting towards someone in the room. One hit Axel, Roxas, Demyx, Zexion and everyone else, even her and Riku were struck by it. She gasped as energy flowed through her and her chest became warm with something unmistakable: Love.

She looked around the room as their friends began to stir, but as she watched, she saw Roxas fade suddenly, with nothing but a white outline and then he was gone.

"R-Rox-" She froze.

Larxene vanished, then Xaldin, Demyx, Axel, Luxord, Xigbar, Marluxia, Laexaus and Zexion. She gasped as each of them disappeared, she turned to Sora who had stopped glowing and was now clutching his chest in pain.

"What's going on, Sora?!" She cried.

He grimaced and opened one eye, a pained smile offered to her, "There going home. Bye, Nami…"

Namine blinked and looked down, she gasped as she saw her legs fading, then she felt herself slipping away, "Sora! Riku! No!" She tried to reach out to them but she was already gone.

* * *

Sora hissed in pain and staggered over to Riku who was fully conscious since the piece of Sora's heart had hit him, though his wound was still bleeding badly. 

"What have you done, Sora?" Riku asked softly.

He winced as Riku clambered to his feet, "J-Just r-returned a few g-gifts," He would have helped the other if he didn't feel as though he would just end up on the floor as well, "I g-gave b-back everyone's h-hearts…"

Riku took a sharp breath as he rose to a half-stand, one arm wrapped around his stomach in an attempt to hold what blood he had left in, "W-why? W-who says I w-wanted it b-back?" He held a hand out to Sora, pointedly ignoring that it was shaking.

Sora gave the hand a skeptical look but took it, accepting some of Riku's weight in return for the elder taking some of his, "Y-you w-weren't in the b-best of health f-for m-me to ask…" Riku grunted in reply as Sora summoned a dark portal. He looked up at Riku with a pained grin, "Where to?

"Anywhere." Riku gave him a soft kiss on Sora's cheek, mindful of the small cut he had on his tanned cheek.

* * *

They emerged from the dark portal shakily; each step they took was together and took a lot of effort on both parts. Sora heaved a breath. Each time he did it seemed to sap more energy than it returned, he looked around, "W-where are w-we…?" 

"Y-You m-mean… you d-don't know?" Riku gave him a teasing smirk, happy to ignore the pain his wound gave him, even if only for a moment.

Sora shrugged, "Y-you j-just said a-any… w-where…"

Riku nodded and looked around. He paused and raised an eyebrow, "I know t-this place…" He and Sora walked a bit further in and the silveret looked around more, "… this i-is the b-beach that f-followed m-me… I s-sent m-my letters h-here and I g-got yours here a-also…" He gasped as he moved and accidentally aggravated his wound.

Sora tried to help Riku but the silveret swatted his hand away, "Y-your h-hurt j-just… as m-much…" He took a big gulp of air. Strange how both had suddenly developed an addiction to it, "L-lets… g-go down… t-to the w-water…"

Sora nodded and slowly, agonizingly, they made their way down to the surf. It lapped at their shoes as they sat down on the black sand. Sora lowered himself so he was laying down, the light for the moon low in the sky glinting across his features. Riku watched him a moment appreciatively before joining the other.

They lay like that, the sea washing against their legs and the sand absorbing the blood seeping from them as they curled into each other, their hands linking as they tried to hold on a little longer. Riku pressed feather-light kisses to Sora's face while the other clung to him tightly. Sora began to cry as the reality of it crashed down upon him. He may have entered Darkness and even recently killed two people and effectively killed himself, but he was only young.

"S-Sora…?"

"W-We…are…g-gonna…die…" Sora gasped; his injuries and tears doing nothing to aid his speech.

Riku shuddered a breath. He couldn't reply; he had no reply but the truth and even he wasn't strong enough to give it to him. Instead he pulled Sora flush against him, ignoring his wound as best he could because soon it wouldn't matter. He held the other tightly and whispered into his hair softly, "I love… you… Sora…"

Sora's crying softened and he stopped shaking, "Love… you… R-Ri…Ri…Rikuuu…." The last syllable was drawn out until it melted into the silence of the waves.

Riku felt himself slipping, he looked down at Sora. The brunet's eyes were closed. He wasn't breathing. A lonely tear slipped down his cheek as he pressed a final kiss to Sora's cooling lips and then closed his eyes for the final time.

* * *

As you're crying your eyes out, lighting torches and rummaging for pitchforks to kill me with, please bare in mind this is not the end. And if you read my message at the top, there may be a sequel, can't have a sequel without Sora and Riku!! Akaiba xxx 

Roxas: WAAAAAH!!!!

Axel: WAAAAAH!!!!

Kairi and Namine: WE WANT SORA AND RIKU!!!!!


	13. Falling Together

Final chapter of HTS. Just outta curiousity, if anyone has done any fanart (not that I expect you to have, just in case) please pm cos I wud love yo see it! Lol, I did one, it's terrible but if anyones curious its at this address : i don't often publish my works cos I like to keep them to myself... that and the fact most are poster sized. Anyway... bow down before the final chapter where some is revealed. I won't say all cos you'll all be cheering but confused by the end.

* * *

A wish is a powerful thing.

* * *

**Falling Together**

_The stars shone brightly in the sky, Namine grinned and handed Kairi a toasted marshmallow, fresh from the small fire Axel had kindly lit for them. It was a warm summer night and they had all gone to spend the day at the beach. Roxas and Sora were building sandcastles with Demyx whilst Zexion and Marluxia were reading, Riku was strumming on a guitar and the others were running around having a water fight, careful to avoid splashing those not playing; except for Xigbar, he was out to get everyone._

"_A falling star!" Larxene cried suddenly._

_Everyone looked up, they watched with various 'ooh's' and 'aww's' as one shimmering star with a burning tail became three and then seven until the sky was alight with them._

"_Wow… I think that's a wish for every person in existence…" Luxord whistled in awe._

_Riku put an arm around Sora, his guitar resting by a rock, "We only need one." He grinned at those who turned to listen to him, "I wish that we all could always be together, no matter what."_

_Sora smiled and gave him a kiss. Roxas put a finger to his chin and thought, then he grinned and stick his finger triumphantly up in the air, "Then we'll all use our wishes for other things that we want, now that Riku's taken care of the important one!"_

_They all erupted into heated discussions of what they each wished for. Demyx wished for a HUGE swimming pool, then Larxene pointed out he had the ocean on his doorstep. Zexion wished Demyx would get a brain, Demyx pouted and wished Zexion would be nice. Marluxia wished his new flower shop would succeed, Larxene wished her application to the university she wanted would be accepted, Xigbar wished destiny islands had a shooting range. Xaldin wished he could learn how to swim, Luxord wished for a specific battle card for some or other trading card game he was currently in to and Axel and Roxas both wished for a servant to do all their chores. (Axel secretly wished the servant would be Roxas… in a maid outfit…)_

_They all chattered about their wishes until Riku turned to Kairi and asked her what she would wish for. She smiled and said, "I don't have anything to wish for. I have everything I want."_

_Riku grinned and nodded, he looked at Namine and asked the same question, the blonde girl looked up at the night sky serenely, "I wish… I wish that no matter where we are… we can always come back here. No matter what." She watched as the last star fell, "When ever a star falls, we will fall with it and land here."

* * *

_

The wind rushed through the leaves of the trees, rustling sounds the only sound in the somber silence. A small bird fluttered gently through the air, the wind turning its attention to tackle the small animal as it gracefully descended upon a branch to watch the people below it.

There was a large crowd of people. All in black. Namine kept her arms perfectly by her sides, straight as a line and never moving, not even as the wind pulled at her. Tears fell down her pale cheeks like waterfalls; she ignored them, completely absorbed in her own thoughts as the priest spoke. Marluxia wiped his own eyes then leant over to her; gently brushing away her tears which returned again in less time it had taken for him to wipe them away.

Roxas held Axel's hand tightly, their knuckles white as the clung to each other for support and comfort in the fading afternoon light. Everyone was gathered around, Zexion's usual mask had broken and he held Demyx, who was sobbing, their arms tightly around each other as the lilac-haired man tried to hold back the tears that begged for freedom.

The wind increased until the veils the girls were wearing were blown about by the breeze, Axel's fiery locks whipping about the place as he held Roxas tighter, resisting the urge to pull the other to him. He knew the blond just wanted to be free from the place.

"Ashes to ashes…"

Namine closed her eyes in pain as she looked once more upon the graves; there were no bodies, so there were no graves to speak of, just… a nice big gravestone and some flowers. She began to cry again. Marluxia wrapped an arm around her and she cried into his shoulder. Kairi held the rose in her hands as if it held the meaning to life which she seriously doubted existed at that moment in time. A hand pushed into hers and rubbed a thumb over her knuckles; she forced a smile at Tidus and turned back to the priest. Larxene's eyeliner was mascara was running down her face but she couldn't even bring herself to wipe it away, Xigbar never said a word.

"Dust…"

Namine could feel the sun dying, its light slipping behind the horizon as the day closed. She listened to the words and tried to ignore the pain.

"…to dust."

There was a faint 'fwump' as the book from which the priest read was shut. He blessed the gravestone and respectfully turned to leave the mourners. People began approaching the gravestone and leaving flowers, roses, lilies and other plants that they thought would be nice. There were more people than Namine had first thought would come. They probably came for their 'hero', she thought bitterly.

They gradually left until only Namine, Roxas, Axel, Kairi, Marluxia, Demyx and Zexion remained. They had each given their offers and just stood in silence as the sun finally set and they were plunged into a semi-darkness, lights from the various graves around them casting an eerie light but no one was even remotely able to even be afraid. Marluxia slowly lifted a hand in a reverent gesture and thorny vines suddenly shot up from the ground, twining around the back of the gravestone and forming a sort of alcove. From the vines, luxurious roses of white erupted until they were covered.

Axel nodded appreciatively and Roxas began crying silently again. Since his bond had been broken with Sora and he had recovered from the pain, he had felt terribly alone. Demyx fell to his knees and cried anew. Zexion's hand went with the blond but he was frozen and couldn't move as he stared at the gravestone…

Riku & Sora

Lumen Atrum

Beloved friends and Warriors of light.

Forever in our hearts and ever beside us.

Namine heard Marluxia whisper a goodbye in her ear and he quickly left, Zexion and Demyx were soon to follow, the overbearing pressure of emotion by the simple words carved so meaningfully before them brought home the reality that they were really gone and they were never coming back.

She saw Axel ask if Roxas wanted to go, Roxas said no. Axel nodded and left quietly, the only sounds she heard were the ever-present rustling of leaves. Roxas stood beside her, they never said a word, just looked upon the new marker in their lives; the stone that marked the end of their friend's lives and a turning point in their own. Roxas put his arms around the blonde and gave her a reassuring squeeze. He was talking to her through his hiccupped cries, saying something about how it would be okay, that they'd get through this.

Namine remained unresponsive in his arms. She had stopped crying a while ago though tears still ran down her face, she didn't move a muscle. Her body was stiff and she didn't acknowledge as Roxas bid her goodbye and left her as well. She remained like that for a long time, just staring at the stone until she was fairly sure she could have drawn it in intense detail with a blindfold on her eyes. She heard footsteps slowly making their way towards her, the footfalls muffled by the grass beneath their shoes. She felt them stop slightly behind her, she wasn't even remotely curious as to who it was.

"I'm… I'm sorry." The person said.

She knew who it was instantly, she didn't respond.

"I know there's nothing I can say-"

"Then don't." She stated coldly.

The mouse sighed heavily, "This is no walk in the park for me; I was very fond of Riku. He was like a son to me."

"Liar. No father would send their son into a war." She clenched her hands, "Especially when they have a lover waiting for them here and the father knows that the son is never in a million years going to come back." Her voice remained the same tone, calm with an edge to it that instilled fear in the small mouse's body.

Mickey took a deep breath, "I never sent those letters…"

"We know. We know more than you I'd guess. I was with Sora right up until I couldn't be any longer. I can safely say that you were not behind this. Had you been, you would not be alive and talking with me right now."

In an attempt to lighten the conversation Mickey coughed uncomfortably and said, "Ah, yes. I understand I am to congratulate you on your recent coming into your powers? Just after you returned, am I correct?"

"Yes. But there is no cause for celebration." Namine never moved her eyes from the gravestone as she spoke, her words deliberately sculpted to hurt the person she felt was responsible for this.

"I am sorry."

She gritted her teeth and span around, her veil blowing back to reveal her ivory white skin and startling blue eyes which refused to look at the mouse and instead stared out to the horizon as though he wasn't even there. She walked forwards so she was directly beside him but facing the opposite way and hissed, "You're guilt and 'sorry's' will not bring them back. Sora's death is as much your fault as Riku's is."

Mickey hung his head, "…the plan failed anyway. The Door to Light is still open."

"You have had the only sacrifice Destiny Islands will give you. Go find another ignorant world that is all too willing to give their children to your suicide campaign." She spat the last few words and stormed off to her house without another sound, tears returning to streak her face.

* * *

Namine curled up on her bed in her room, the large windows opened wide so she could look up at the sky. It was deep into the night and the stars were shining fiercely, twinkling down at her as though it were any other night. 

"_Nami! Look at der stwars! Wiku says we can catch dem when dey fall… den we gwets a wish!" Sora giggled, his infant self amused by the prospect of a free wish._

She pushed the invasive memories far from her mind as she dared to look up at the stars again, memories of the night they'd all wished flooding back to her as though it were happening again. She whimpered as she fought the painful memories away.

"_Nami! Look what Riku gave me!" Sora blushed, pointing proudly to the crown pendant._

She began to cry again

"_Nami! Sora say's he's gonna stay with me forever!" Riku grinned._

Her tears turned into sobs.

"_I love you, Nami! You're the best little sis anyone could ask for!" Riku cried after she'd helped him ask Sora to the school dance._

'What have I done?! I don't want to remember!" She screamed, hurling her bedside lamp across the room into a wall with a crash, broken glass scattering over the floor, "I don't want to remember!" She curled over on her bed so she was still facing the window and could see the stars through her hair but she was hurting so much she wanted to die, "It hurts too much…"

She closed her eyes and felt her exhausted body slipping into welcomed sleep. Sleep was freedom from pain and allowed her to forget…

Marluxia opened Namine's bedroom door urgently, normally he would have knocked but he couldn't wait. He spied her curled form hidden amongst a tangle of blankets and refusing the world access to her. He pitied her, but he had to wake her up.

"Nami!" He cried, she grunted and hurled a pillow at him, a warning of impending doom should he persist. And persist he did, "NAMINE!"

She squeaked, bolted upright in bed and hurled herself at him instead of a pillow. He caught her light frame and swung her around and back to the bed. She was about to punch him when he forced her to look out the window. She collapsed in his arms, shock releasing all of her muscles so she was limp. She recovered and stared in awe.

The sky was alight with falling stars; sparkling and streaking the black sky gold as they fell.

"Falling stars…" She breathed, she turned to face Marluxia, "Y-you don't think…"

Marluxia shot her a hopeful grin and in an instant they were off the bed and racing to the beach, Marluxia yelling she was barefoot and in pajamas. She yelled back that she didn't care and they Island was probably asleep and there for not going to see, then Demyx appeared from nowhere and yelled at them both that the Island would soon be awake if they continued yelling, Zexion materialized from a dark portal in a run and joined them, yelling that they should shut up.

As they neared the gate to the beach, Namine vaulted over it, followed by the three other boys as Kairi leapt from the large wall on the side of the beach where the houses were. She landed in a crouch as Namine passed her, Axel and Roxas erupting from a hedge that had conveniently caught fire. The seven of them raced down to the water, all stopping at the waters edge as they stared up at the falling stars. Namine wrestled with the hem of her nightshirt in worry, she bit her lip as Marluxia rested a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her.

"Look!" Zexion cried.

They all snapped to attention, each face staring up, their mouths open in awe as two stars were falling side by side, twirling around each other in a striking blue fire against the golden ones around it. They didn't fall beyond the horizon; they descended to the ocean where they struck with an enormous splash that caused the water around them to arch upwards as if an explosion had occurred.

Namine watched; mouth open as if to call out as the waters settled and began to return to an almost level surface broken by the occasional wave. No one said a word as they all watched; eyes wide with hope and jaws slack with fear as though this was an awful trick.

Suddenly a crown of brown spikes broke the crystal water, followed by silver bangs swinging back over someone's shoulder as they gasped air into their lungs. Kairi cried out and jumped into the air, her hand punching upwards in joy. Axel wrapped his arms around Roxas who was crying and cheering. Demyx stepped forwards and waved his arms elegantly, a grin on his face as he commanded the water to bring the two of them to the beach.

Sora fell to his knees in the shallows beside Riku; they slumped beside each other breathing hard as they looked up at the cheering, smiling faces above them. Namine held a hand out to them with a relieved smile, "Welcome home!"

The brunet took the offered hand and helped Riku up; they were badly wounded but alive. Riku's stomach wound had been bandaged and Sora seemed alive, despite the fact Namine had watched him pull his own heart out. Riku pulled Sora into a fierce hug which they all joined in on, laughing and crying, Roxas giving Sora a real ear-bashing about how worried he'd been and Axel threatening he'd castrate the silveret should he ever do something like that again. The eventually allowed the two to breathe and surrounded them as the tired and injured teens grinned at them.

Riku and Sora laced their hands together and yelled, 'We're back!"

* * *

"What doesn't kill you, can only make you stronger."

* * *

Now who really wants to kill me? If chpater 12 didn't, then I seriosuly will be surprised if this doesn't make you want to throw pointy objects at me. Anyway... I would explain stuff, but thta'll ruin part 2. Lol, if you loved this part, please review and tell me how much!!! -huggles- 

Sora: I'm not dead!

Riku: Me neither!

Roxas: You two gave me such a scare you will be in a minute.

Akaiba: -shoves Roxas in a closet and locks it- can't have him killing my two main characters can we?

Sora: -hides-

Akiaba: whats up with him?

Riku: Axel was already in that closet, he needed a shirt.

Akaiba: -eyes widen in fright, looks at the closet as the door begins to shake-

Riku: -runs after sora-

Akaiba: Review and I'll give you a cookie shaped like the closet!!!


End file.
